


Wings of Fate

by Helihi



Series: Ballad of the Lost Souls [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Ace!Ruby, Action, Adventure, Alternative Timeline, Angst, Asexual Character, Awful Puns, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, Poly ships will make an appearance, Poly!Ren and Nora, Racism, Relationships and Characters will be added as they appear in the story, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-02-04 10:56:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 89,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12769548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helihi/pseuds/Helihi
Summary: When the army of each of the four kingdoms reunited at the Vytal Island to sign a peace treaty, a massive hoard of Grimm attacked every soldier in sight, ending the lives of almost everyone who attended the ceremony. The survivors returned to their respective homelands and called treason; they blamed the other kingdoms for what happened.Remnant's Great War ended in caos, and so, the four nations remained divided.RWBY AU where there are no hunting schools, no CCTS, and the Faunus were never given Menagerie as a safe haven.





	1. The Damsel in Distress and the Samurai in Shining Armor

**Author's Note:**

> This story was conceived before Volume 5 came out, so anything related with the Branwen twin's powers may be different form what has been revealed in canon recently.
> 
> Huge thanks to Janna (http://gurrenlasagna.tumblr.com) for beta reading this fic, and to my bae (http://jungkooklikesboys.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

There’s a black bird flying above us.

I follow it with my eyes as my sister keeps talking about getting a new gadget for her weapon. There’s not much I can add to the conversation, mainly because I’m not a huge weapon nerd like her and because everything she’s saying is probably right. She’s such a dork.

Besides, things have been going smoothly for quite a while, so I just let her enjoy the moment.

I decide to scan our surroundings, like I have been doing for the past half hour, and again I find nothing out of the ordinary. Somehow, that doesn’t make me feel at ease. We’re in the middle of the forest and everything is too quiet. The quest said this place had been overrun by a wave of Grimm, but so far I haven’t noticed anything. I bring my hand to one of my pockets and stroke the crumpled piece of paper containing the quest information with the tip of my fingers.

“So, next time we find the merchant, I’m definitely buying it!” My sister states as she plays with her scythe.

I’m not sure what specific piece of equipment she’s talking about, but I know the merchant she is alluding to. Unfortunately, the man with the scar crossing right through the middle of his face was heading to Vacuo the last time we’d met him, and we’re not planning to go anywhere near that any time soon.

“Rubes, I’m pretty sure Qrow told you to stop tinkerin’ with Crescent Rose,” I let my hand rest on my hips, leaving the paper alone.

She gasps offended and holds Crescent Rose close to her face. “But it’s my weapon!” She stores the scythe behind her back after folding it, and clasps it into place. “I thought you were supposed to always have my back. We’re not going to work as a team if you betray me like this.”

I chuckle and flash my sister a smile. I can’t really blame Ruby for being excited. This might not be our first mission (more like our fifth, actually), but she’s still 13. Dad and Qrow might have trained us since we were little, but Sanus might be the most unsafe place for a couple of teens to wander. Scratch that, Anima is probably more dangerous… Scratch that again, everywhere in Remnant but Patch is dangerous.

“Fine, you can get your silly gadget,” Ruby makes an excited noise as I speak, hair bobbing up and down, its red tips stroking her cheeks. “After all, the reward for this will be enough to cover it for sure.”

Ruby crosses her arms as she continues to walk alongside me. “Well, if you ask me, this is pretty boring. I was promised adventure. Are you sure that note wasn’t old?”

I retrieve the crumpled piece of paper from my pocket and show it to Ruby. I don’t let her touch it though. She pouts and I smile, “I spoke with the peeps requestin’ this myself, and the family said they left the house two days ago. I’m sure Grimm are not just gonna attack, feast on the negative emotion and just leave in less than a week.”

Ruby rolls her eyes.

I put the piece of paper back in my pocket. “Think about it this way: the easier this is, the sooner you’ll get your thingamabob for your precious ‘sweetheart’.”

I see stars in Ruby’s eyes. _Job done._

As I’m about to tease her about her ridiculous fixation on weapons, something catches the corner of my eye. There are claw marks on a tree trunk a couple of feet from us. I raise one of my hands and get closer to inspect it.

“It appears we have a Beowolf lurkin’ in these woods,” I drag my fingers over the marks. I can hear Ruby’s weapon unfolding; I don’t even have to tell her to be on guard. She’s so ready, and I’m proud.

We exchange looks before we continue inspecting our surroundings. I activate my gauntlets, just in case.

“Make that single Beowolf more like a pack of them.” There are claw marks everywhere. They’re apparently moving in groups. This is not unusual, but dad said packs are rare this far from Vale.

“Yang, I think there’s Ursai traveling with them,” Ruby informs. I find her on a tree branch close by, inspecting the damage on some trees. I don’t question how she got there without making any noise—that kid has a gift, I always envied it.

I nod at her and we continue to move forward, following the tracks, which are guiding us towards our goal. Ruby follows me, even if the path is clear, because we both know she has zero sense of direction. That girl could get lost in our own backyard.

I am aware that the house we are looking for was less than a mile away when we found the first tracks, so when we finally reach the small clearing where it’s located, I’m not surprised—at least not by that. What baffles me is how empty everything is.

Ruby gets ahead—even if I told her a thousand times to stay behind me—to inspect the walls of the small cabin. Some trees are broken, dying on the floor; there’s mud everywhere and clear signs of struggle around the structure. The rock foundations look untouched. The walnut wall though, that’s another story. Dad would be sad about such good wood going to waste.

The claw marks are not alone this time; there are bites on some planks Ruby is closely looking at. I also take note of the two broken windows at the front and the almost torn front door.

“Keep your guard up, this doesn’t look good.” I take one last look at our surroundings before heading in. There’s a black bird on one of the trees with a broken branch, not a good sign. Aside from the obvious wreck that the Grimm has made of this part of the forest, nothing has changed since we got there.

I tear open the front door with no effort and enter the cabin, fists up, ready to react if something jumps at me. Luckily, only the wood creaks under my feet as I step into the living room. There are chairs on the floor, broken plates, and ripped, cheap paintings scattered around. What a surprise, the room is a mess.  
I am about to explore the kitchen when I feel Ruby pass behind me, light on her feet.

“Rubes, careful!”

She stops right at the start of the hallway. “Right, on my toes, checking around ALL the corners.” She smiles at me and gives me a thumbs up. At least I know that thanks to her Semblance, she’s got good reflexes. I nod, allowing her to proceed. It’s my duty as an older sister to protect her from all harm, but I’m also supposed to encourage her. Life is so hard.

Back to my task, as Ruby rummages through some stuff, I inspect the kitchen, realizing that there was at some point a scuffle in here. The backdoor is open. After all, the family got away safely, I’m aware of that. I decide then to put my wonderful inspector skills to the test.

Claw marks, a stove with uncooked food, a missing Beowolf tooth and some broken cups, a tray on the floor. Someone was clearly cooking when the Grimm entered and, to protect themselves, they used the tray to hit the creature on the head. The cups fell to the ground, shattering, and they used a sword to strike back _—What?_ I follow a very clear cut on one of the walls, definitely not made by a knife and also not a sword, but caused by a pointy object nonetheless.

I hum and give it a closer look. What a shocking development. None of the family members knows how to fight, and even if they did, the father only had a hatchet that couldn’t have made this dent. I think about what Qrow would do in this situation, which is probably to take a drink. Not helpful. I think back and his voice sounds in my head as clear as day, _keep looking kiddo, the answers are always there._

I continue to read the scene. Someone with a weapon was clearly here and fought one creature, broke the cabinets and exited through the back door. Then there were two scuffles. The family was about to have dinner and after being attacked, they probably left through the front door and now are safe and sound in a nearby village. The fighter? _Let’s see._

I go outside and look around for more marks made by the same weapon. Instead, I find an abstract ice sculpture the size of a Corgi (a strange way to measure things, I know) three feet away from where I stand under the doorframe.

There was a huntsman here, or at least someone with a basic knowledge of Dust.

“Ruby,” I call my sister and approach the ice. I take a piece with my hand and break it to test how much it lasts separated from the rest of it. At least 5 seconds. Whoever made this is still close by, otherwise the Aura connected to it would be gone, and the ice melted.

“Yeah?” My sister peeks from the inside of the cabin. She holds an old urn in-between her arms.

“For all I _snow_ ,” Ruby frowns at my pun as I speak, “there was someone here before us who wasn’t quite as lucky.”

“So?”

“I say we take all the stuff we need and bounce. I think someone came and tried to take some valuable junk, but ended up lurin’ the Grimm away with them instead.”

“Aw, I was hoping for a Creep or an Ursa,” Ruby sighs in disappointment. I can’t really blame her; I was hoping we would kick more ass when we took this mission.

“Come on, Rubes. I’m sure we’ll find somethin’ soon.” I get inside the cabin again to meet with her.

“Help, please?” She holds the urn forwards and jerks her head to the side, pointing to her hidden backpack. I take the urn from her hands and she lifts her red cape.

The bag now greets me, and I open it to place the urn as carefully as I can in it. _Don’t worry grandma, we’ll get you to your folks._

After that, we both decide to do what’s next on the list and grab all the valuables and stuff our pockets with it. After all, the family needs as much money as they can if they’ve lost their home.

I decide to head out first since the job is done when suddenly—

**“CAW”**

_Son of a—_ , I jump back as a stupid raven scares the bejeezus outta me. I’m about to curse it out loud when I notice something. It’s staring at me, or right through me. I don’t know how to explain it, but right there, sitting on a tree branch, 10 feet away from the entrance to the cabin, there’s that fucking bird looking at me.

“Hey Yang—“

I jump again because I forgot the world existed outside of this little staredown.

“Sorry, sorry, did I scare you?” Ruby shrugs and leans closer.

I sigh and pat her on the head, “It’s alright, that dumb bird scared me.” I can think of worse things than ‘dumb’ but there are minors here. _Hell, I’m a minor. Heck, I mean._

Ruby peeks over my shoulder and finds the bird. She doesn’t think much of it and slides past me to the clearing. “Well, I’m ready to go if you are.”

I nod and start walking with her when we hear someone yelling close by. We both turn our heads in the direction the noise came from.

“I’m pretty sure crows don’t sound like girls… Should we take a look?” Ruby glances at me, Crescent Rose in hand.

“It could be a trap,” I point out.

“It could be someone who needs our help.”

I know there’s no way to stop Ruby from trying to help someone. This is what growing up with a mom that tells you stories of great huntsmen and huntresses before going to bed does to you. Or you could also be scared shitless.

We stare at each other for less than a second before Ruby storms off. I follow her closely from behind, thankful that she’s not using her Semblance.

More destruction and damaged trees lead us in the right direction, until I see several Grimm and what appears to be a human figure dressed in white and hues of blue. I grab Ruby by the hood and yank her down to the ground with me before she can jump into the middle of the action. She grunts as I pull the cloth around her neck tightly.

“Yang! Why did you do that?” She whines as she fixes her hood. She’s about to stand up again, but I pull her down to her knees with me behind a bush and place a finger on my lips.

I turn my attention again to the girl who had yelled before. She’s surrounded by at least one pack of Beowolves and three Ursai. Her skin is too pale for her to have lived in Sanus, her slender legs are covered by boots, and she’s wearing a short skirt—gorgeous. I take note on the scar on her face. She holds a rapier on her left hand and points it at the enemy creatures. _So, mystery solved: the pointy weapon in all it’s glory._

She’s not standing properly, probably due to the wound on her right shoulder. Her jacket is ripped and blood is slowly dripping out through it, coloring the white garment, which brings me again to my first observation. The white and the blue of her clothes set off many alarms in my head. _What’s a girl from Mantle doin’ all the way here? Are they plannin’ on attackin’ Vale again?_ I try to gather more information, but I only notice a few strands of thread coming from the back of her very elegant—and now blood stained—jacket, as if someone had ripped a sigil or something from it.

I’m about to tell Ruby what I’ve gathered when I notice she’s not by my side, and not only that, a group of petals is fluttering next to me. I follow them with my eyes to find my sister colliding with the Mantle girl as the girl tries to attack one of the Grimm.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” yells the pale girl angrily as she regains her composure. Ruby flinches.

_Good job, sis._

“I— uh… I was just trying to—“

“Whatever you were trying to do, you clearly failed. This is not a place for children!” Says the girl that’s barely a couple of inches taller than a 13-year-old.

It’s not the time to chat. I see an Ursa ready to strike and I decide to make my move. With the help of my aura, I jump far away enough from both girls and with a sweet uppercut I hit the Grimm right in the jaw, making it tumble backwards.

“Hi princess, it appears we’ve found ourselves in a very _Grimm_ situation, if I say so myself,” Ruby groans at my pun. “But I’d appreciate it if you hold on for a second and let my sister and me help you.”

“I don’t need any help! I—”

This time it’s Ruby who launches forward and pushes her scythe to the ground to give her enough momentum and kick a Beowolf on the mouth. The two of them exchange glances; my sister smiles.

“Fine,” the girl groans and takes a stance, holding her rapier tightly. “But this is hardly a place for children,” she says, and I chuckle. This girl is about my age.

Ruby and I know what to do right away. We take a stance as well, back to back, the three of us forming a circle, ready to fight the Grimm surrounding us. The adrenaline flowing through my veins makes me excited for what’s to come. I hold my arms up, fists clenching, Ember Celica fully loaded.

The second of silence ends right before it starts, Beowolves lunging forward ready to tear us apart. Even if they traveled as a pack, they don’t work together. They have only one objective in kind and that’s to kill us.

Right hook, left hook, uppercut, I take one down. I don’t have much time before I see another one is coming right at me; I elbow strike it on the chest with my right, and turn around to give it a back first, smashing it to the ground. Light on my feet, I notice two beasts coming from opposite directions, their claws calling my name. I fire my gauntlets towards the ground and get expelled high enough to prepare a strike. When the Beowolves are aligned just right, I fire Ember Celica again, this time towards the sky; I plummet down and strike both of their skulls at the same time.

To avoid an Ursa, I pirouette and hit it with a mean left hook, breaking its back. I barely catch my breath and I see Ruby dancing around with her scythe, slicing through Beowolves. She seems to be holding herself back, and I don’t blame her. Between the trees and the stranger, it’s hard to move around with such a large weapon.

I continue ending the lives of more Grimm as I catch small peeks of the Mantle girl’s fighting style. The wound is clearly affecting her, especially in regards to the grace of her movements. She slashes with her rapier and uses Dust in a very precise way. It seems like she’s dancing? She has clearly been trained and would have probably held up against these beasts for a couple minutes before we showed up. I also notice she helps Ruby, just slightly, keeping some Beowolves from moving with ice Dust. I make a mental note of that.

I give one last blow and crack an Ursa skull open. “Well, that was all fine and dandy, but I think that’s enough playing for a day.”

“Is… everything… a joke to you?” the stranger asks me, a little annoyed.

Ruby seems to be done with her side of the wave and the girl clearly needs a rest. I turn towards them, stretching to make a cocky retort when a very loud cry rips through the forest.

Ruby looks at me, scared.

From the woods emerges a Beringel clearly looking for a fight. The Mantle girl steps back, moving her left hand to her wounded shoulder, weapon still in hand. No problem, I get the message, Ruby and I can take it down.

But then the Beringel roars and from the darkness around us more Beowolves and Boarbatusks seem eager for a fight. _Oh._

“Okay, this was fun, let’s—,” I get interrupted again by the sudden tremble of some trees and the noise of a very large creature making its way through the forest.

It’s a Death Stalker. _Oh, shit._

“Run!” Ruby doesn’t have to yell again for everyone to follow her command. The three of us begin running as fast as we can away from the hoard of enemies coming for us.

That’s when I realize I shouldn’t have wasted as many bullets as I did; I could’ve been more resourceful. Also, the original adrenaline rush is now taking a toll on me and my breathing is getting shallow. I know I can power through this, I’m used to racing Ruby even fully aware of her Semblance. My legs can carry me for as long as I want, to wherever I need.

The Mantle girl is not looking good though. I look at her: she’s growing paler and I think she’s choosing to let her right arm hang limp to avoid feeling more pain.

I look back at the hoard; they are getting closer and Beringel is savoring the taste of our flesh already. Two Boarbatusks are catching up and I know for sure the escape plan is not going to work. To be honest, it wasn’t a plan to begin with.

“Ruby, take the girl and go!”

“What?” My sister turns at me, alarmed.

“She can’t fight and not even you have enough energy to deal with them. You’re the fastest, I can hold them off!”

“I’m not leaving you behind!”

“Ruby,” I point with my head to the Mantle girl for Ruby to pay attention to her. She’s panting for breath and clearly hiding the fact that she needs help. She’s avoiding my sister’s gaze, perhaps trying to hide the pain in her eyes. When Ruby looks at me again, I just yell it: “GO!”

Ruby shuts her eyes and groans, “Don’t take too long!” She activates her Semblance and she’s gone. A blast of petals embraces the stranger before she flies away so fast my eyes barely catch her.

“I’m right behind you.” I clench my teeth and go a couple steps forward before turning on my heels, _ __better me than you.___ Once my feet touch the ground again in the proper stance, I hold my arms close to my face as always. I take a deep breath and a raven caws close by. _ __I’m ready.__ _

The couple of Boarbatusks rush towards me.

___I can do this._ _ _

I jump over them and grab them by their respective tails. Both Grimm cry in pain as I lift them with me. I spin once in the air and bring them down on their backs. The noise of their back armor crushing against the floor can be heard. I shoot them both on the stomach and that’s the end of them.

___Time to get the job done._ _ _

I’m light on my feet again and I throw a punch at the first Beowolf that comes my way, a left hook, an elbow strike, and I jab them to the ground. I repeat my moves but mirrored on the next creature. Punch after punch, I manage to knock them down. Avoiding claws is easy when their heads are not attached to their bodies.

My moves are swift, my punches are light, and my bullets pierce through their bone armor enough to knock them back or down. Another Boarbatusk surprises me and I roll to the side to evade it. I miscalculate the distance and have to jump back to avoid a slash from a Beowolf. My back collides with another Beowolf and I react immediately, turning around to shoot it. Something hits me on the back and I’m plunged forward.

Another Beowolf greets me with its mouth open and I fire Ember Celica to change my direction. I’m greeted by a powerful hand belonging to the Beringel. I try to hit it, but another creature hits me from the side and before I have time to react, the very same Boarbatusk that disoriented me moments ago hits my feet and makes me fall to the ground.

It’s not long before the Beringel grabs me and throws me against a tree. Everything hurts. I want to believe my aura has done its job and prevented a broken rib, but I have no time to curse. I force myself to my feet and use the very same tree I was knocked into to stand. I can’t catch my breath since I find a large group of Beowolves going at me.

___Fine, we'll do this the hard way._ _ _

I bring my fists together and let my aura flow through my veins like a dam opening it's doors to let the river flow freely, but instead of water, my body gets set on fire. The pain I felt is now fueling every muscle in my body, and I feel the rush of new energy begging me to start.

___Let's dance._ _ _

I push myself forward and collide with the enemy. Punch after punch after punch, I lose count of how many punches I've thrown. All I know is the feeling is skulls, spines and whatever Grimm have for bones breaking under my fists.

I find that sneaky little Boarbatusk charging at me, and I grab it by its tusks and throw it against the Death Stalker coming after me. I'm too pissed to celebrate and I rush through another wave of Beowolves before I finally find my target.

The Beringel roars at me and charges. I stop it every time it tries to swing at me. He gets frustrated and tries to smash me with both hands, but I grab him by the index fingers and break them. The creature groans in pain and anger. It takes little to no effort for me to lift the Grimm over my head. I'm about to throw it alongside the Boarbatusk when a giant claw hits my right side.

I automatically let go on the Beringel as my body is launched several feet on the air. My back meets a tree, which breaks shortly after contact. The trunk and my body fall to the ground and I can feel my aura flicker as I start setting the wood on fire unintentionally.

A golden tail is heading straight for my face. It catches the corner of my eye, and I move to the side to find myself face to face with a Beowolf. It claws at me as I try to get away, and I trip on the Boarbatusk I’d thrown earlier.

It doesn’t take long for the Death Stalker to hit me again with one of its claws. I manage to evade its tail again and I’m thankful for that. My sight is blurry and I hear the Beringel roar again. Something hits me, more than one time. Actually, I think there are many things hitting me.

When I open my eyes again, I’m against a new tree. Several Grimm are heading my way to finish the job. My lungs are on fire, but my body isn’t. A drop of cold sweat travels down my forehead as I realize my aura has been depleted and this is the last thing I’ll see.

_What was I thinkin’?_

_A 13-year-old and a 15-year-old going on missions in the treacherous woods of a continent inhabited by ferocious creatures and mercenaries?_

_Why did my dad agree to this?_

_Why didn’t uncle Qrow stop us?_

_I’m sorry Ruby._

I close my eyes.

_Better me than you._

I hear the screams and roars of the Grimm. So, I wait. I wait for the final moment of pain to hit me. I wait for the cold of nothingness to embrace me and to forget I ever existed. But the moment doesn’t come.

I open my eyes, fearful that maybe I’m dead and I didn’t even notice, that somehow I managed to fuck this up too, and the last moment of my life passed without me even knowing.

A figure stands before me, tall and elegant. A long katana in hand, used to slash the Grimm which are disintegrating right in front of my eyes. It’s a woman dressed in red shiny armor, long black boots and a very short skirt. On her left hand, she holds a complicated scabbard with what seems to be Dust.

“Who… Who are you?” I can barely speak, my entire body screaming for me to just go to sleep.

The woman looks at me from over her shoulder, her long spiky black hair moving along with every movement. For a moment I think she’s not human, then I notice she’s wearing a strange Grimm mask. I'm not sure how long she stares at me, those burning red eyes are merciless; my control over my body is fading, and my eyelids are getting heavier by the second.

“My name is Raven Branwen.”


	2. Unorthodox Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you guess the damsel in distress the sisters saved in the first chapter?'
> 
> Once again, huge thanks to Janna (http://gurrenlasagna.tumblr.com) for beta reading this fic, and to my bae (http://jungkooklikesboys.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

_ Raven. _

_ I’ve heard that name before. _

_ One night, when I was six, Ruby wouldn’t stop crying. No matter how many bedtime stories I told her, there was no way of making her feel better. She missed mom; I did too. _

_ I left her alone in our bedroom for a moment to go and get dad. As I went down the stairs, I heard two people arguing in the kitchen. Dad was yelling at someone. I wasn’t able to figure out who it was, and I was too scared to just barge in and interrupt them, so I approached the kitchen door and remained hidden to listen. _

_ Dad was angry; I had never heard him like that. I knew he wasn't the same as he’d always been since mom had died, but this was different. He wasn't talking about Summer, I was sure of that—dad never talked that way about mom. Mom was the best person I knew, and he always said so himself. _

_ I leaned closer and heard a grunt. Uncle Qrow was the other person in the room. Dad was mad at my uncle, and kept insisting that he didn’t want to know anything about some woman. She had left, she had left him and me—her daughter—, and dad hadn’t stopped her. Since she had made a decision, it should remain that way. _

_ My blood ran cold. I had just heard my father say something I’d never thought of. The mere idea of Summer not being my mother had been unthinkable up until that point; yet there was my dad, telling my uncle that my birth mom, whoever she was, had left. _

_ I didn’t know what to think. I panicked and tears started forming in the corner of my eyes. I wanted to run to my dad and ask him about the truth, but I couldn’t, I was frozen in place. _

_ She left me. Why did she leave me? _

_ The voice of Uncle Qrow was the only thing that brought me back from that frantic storm of questions that started forming in my head. He sounded stern and, for the first time that I remember, he wasn’t drunk. I can recall it precisely: he told my dad that his sister might help, that Raven had information that could be relevant. My dad didn’t want to hear any of it. _

_ Raven. _

_ Qrow Branwen; Raven Branwen. _

_ My mom. _

 

* * *

 

Everything feels like a dream, a bad, long and heavy dream. Every single muscle in my body hurts. I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids feel too heavy and my body won’t comply. This is the price of using my Semblance and,  _ boy oh boy,  _ I'm not thrilled to be dealing with this. At least this means I’m alive,  _ what a joy _ .

“Maybe I could try with a couple of sticks and—”

“Or maybe you could use Dust and get done with it!”

_ Oh jeez, they are so loud,  _ and I thought I couldn’t be in more pain. My head is throbbing and these girls’ high pitched voices are not making me feel any better. It’s getting cold. I wonder how much time has passed, it’s probably late.

“If you want us to use Dust so much, why don’t you get some of yours out?”

“Are you deaf? I just said I only have ice Dust left, you dolt! We can’t start a fire with ice Dust!”

_ That’s my sister and the girl from Mantle! Did… did Ruby save me? Was Raven real?  _ I force myself to open my eyes slowly.

“Well I don’t have fire Dust either, so we’re getting nowhere!”

“Your sister has fire Dust bullets, I saw her using them when we were fighting.”

“And you expect me to open a bullet with no tools to get it out?”

“You could at least try!”

“Girls, I can think of a few jokes that could  _ lighten _ up the mood, but I think you should find a way to start a fire instead of yellin’ about it,” I say as I expect Ruby to groan, but instead she just dashes straight at me and hugs me tightly. I appreciate the sentiment but I’m hurting, she’s hurting me,  _ help _ . 

“Ruby! Stop it, you’re hurting her!” The other girl urges my sister to let go of me and Ruby realizes that she is right.

“Oh, oh, I’m so sorry, Yang!” She covers her mouth with her hands and keeps apologizing. “I found you all injured on the ground, and I got worried, and then brought you here, used the medkit, and I think everything is okay, but—Are you okay? Do you need something?”

My sister vomits so much information, I blink and try to make sense of it. “Wait, Rubes, what do you mean you found me? Didn’t you save me?”

Ruby cocks her head to the side. “Save you? You defeated all the Grimm!”

I take a deep breath. This doesn’t make sense. If Ruby just found me in the forest with no Grimm attacking me… that means that  _ Raven _ was there. Whatever happened, it wasn’t part of my imagination like I thought. 

I decide to push those thoughts aside for the moment since my sister is starting to look worried. “It’s okay, kinda went overboard with my Semblance, ya know? Could you help me sit up though?”

Ruby obliges and helps me lean against one of the walls of the cave we’re in. I take a quick look around. This place was probably found in a rush. Ruby dumped all of our possessions in a messy pile on one corner of the cave while she set up a basic area to start the fire, including peebles neatly placed around the wood. There are several plants protecting the entrance of the cave, but I can see the purple and red colours of the sky, meaning it’s dusk.  _ How long was I out? _

“What time is it?”

“Nineteen hundred hours approximately. It’s getting dark, and I suggested to your sister that we should start a fire,” the pale girl with long white hair answers using military time. Her hand is gripping her injured shoulder; her wound hasn’t been treated.

“And I was trying to,” Ruby pouts in her direction. “I can’t get the sticks to light up!”

“Ruby,” I chuckle after noticing my sister's set up. “That’s because you need a notch, and you’re supposed to start with dry leaves and grass, not actual pieces of wood,” I smile at my sister and she shrugs, embarrassed. “There’s a quartz and a handstone in one of my pouches, you can use those rocks to get a spark.”

My sister nods and moves towards the messy pile she has built to search for my pouch. My jacket also happens to be in that mess by the looks of it; Ruby was probably looking for cuts when she found me. Most of the injuries caused by the Beowolves’ claws have been patched up: all I can see on my bare skin are bruises. Until my aura is fully back up, they won’t heal.

Ruby finds the two rocks I mentioned and separates the dry leaves from the file of burnable objects she has gathered to properly start a fire.

“Hey, princess, don’t you want my sister to look at your shoulder?”

“I’m not a princess!” The girl answers in a high pitch voice and glares at me. “My name is Weiss Sch—” She looks distraught, then lowers her gaze and resumes, “just Weiss.”

“I offered her some help before, but she rejected me,” Ruby adds as she’s busy with the stones.

“The treatment of this wound should be done by a professional, not by a child,” Weiss says firmly.

“I’m not sayin’ you’re wrong, but without aura suppressants or at least some disinfectant, that’s gonna get ugly,” I point out, despite wanting to tell her that we’re all children here.

Weiss huffs.

“What, you don’t trust a Valen?” I look closely at her reaction.

Ruby's head jerks up as she starts the fire, “What?”

Weiss is shocked and scared and quickly moves her left hand to the hilt of her weapon, leaving her wound alone. Baby blue eyes dart from me to my sister, expecting to read our movements even if she knows she’s outnumbered. She takes one step back. 

_ She’s not thinking about attacking, she’s weighing her options to run away. _

“Tell me, Weiss, what’s a girl from Mantle doin’ here? The kingdom plans on sendin’ spies before attackin’ again?”

She blinks and suddenly her expression changes drastically. “I—I’m not from Mantle, I’m from Alsius!” She looks angry for a second, then sad. “I was exiled—more like self exiled from Alsius.”

“Why would you abandon the safety of a kingdom to come to these woods?” Ruby asks her, and it takes me by surprise. Up until this point, she had been staring at me in confusion.

“Because…!” Weiss looks distraught again and her hand leaves the hilt of her weapon, “I wasn’t allowed to be myself. The military takes children and shapes them to be whoever they want them to be! Most of the time, the kids feel honored to be part of it, they are proud to be told what to do over and over and over.”

I’m not sure if she does it on purpose, but her hand ghosts over her scar for a moment. It’s the first time I pay close attention to it. Her scar, which cuts through her left eyebrow and finishes on her cheek, looks recent. 

Weiss makes a pause and shakes her head, her centered ponytail following her movements, beautiful white hair swinging side to side. “I didn’t want that. I hated that... so I ran.”

I’m don’t know what to say. Weiss falls silent, and I turn to look at Ruby. I find her staring at me again. There’s a part of me that somehow knows that Weiss is hiding something, I’m not sure what, but she’s also not lying. The pain in Weiss’s voice is genuine, and I can see my sister believes her as well. My heart feels heavy on my chest and it becomes clear that Ruby doesn’t need to plead anymore with those deep grey puppy eyes of hers.

“Ruby’s not the best at first aid, but she can take a look at you before we get home.”

Weiss is taken aback. She blinks, realizing she has let her guard down. “Thank you, I really appreciate it, I—wait, home?”

“Yeah, our home is half a day away from here, and the way to Patch is pretty safe.”

“One day away,” I correct Ruby.  _ That’s my sister, zero sense of direction. _

“But... but, I’m a complete stranger! I could be lying! I could be working for the Alsius military!”

“No, you’re chastisin’ us for bein’ careless and invitin’ a stranger home,” I smile and Weiss becomes more confused that she already was.

Ruby giggles at her expression. Now Weiss looks insulted and opens her mouth to object.

“You fought hand in hand with us without even knowin’ our names! You even helped Ruby back there, don’t think I didn’t see you,” I tease her and Weiss closes her mouth. “If anythin’,  _ you _ should be distrustful of us. For all you know, we could be mercenaries who kidnap young pretty girls.”

Weiss huffs and I think I catch her blushing. “Shut up, you dunce, you’re ruining it.”

I laugh, my chest hurts. “What I’m trying to say is that our dad is an experienced huntsman and has a lot of experience with this type of thing.”

“He and uncle Qrow used to go on missions all the time, I’m sure this will be nothing to him,” my sister reassures her.

Weiss sighs and approaches us again, walking very properly, like a lady. She offers her shoulder to my sister, “Just be gentle.”

I snicker and Weiss shots me a glance. I give her a sly smile. “Anyway, princess, I’m Yang Xiao Long by the way. I think my sister introduced herself while I was out, right?”

Ruby smiles and gives me double thumbs up before she goes to get the medkit dad gave us from her backpack. Hopefully something remains there after all the bandages she had to use for me.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yang,” Weiss says, and she smiles. It’s so genuine and pleasant I don’t make a stupid comment about it. After all, everyone smiles, it’s just that some don’t do it as sweetly. She looks relieved, as if she hadn’t felt like that in forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who don't know (or don't watch WoR), the Atlas kingdom was formerly known as the Mantle kingdom. During the Great War, Mantle underwent a great load of Grimm attacks, causing the city to lose infrastructure.  
> Since the only other city as important as Mantle was Alsius, where the only combat school was located, the leaders decided to make Alsius the new capital by the end of the Great War. That's how the Kingdom of Atlas came to be.  
> Since the war ended differently here, the council never changed the capital of the kingdom, hence why Weiss still calls it Alsius and the sisters refer to her kingdom as Mantle.


	3. An empty chair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small fact for all you peeps: in this timeline Yang never left with baby Ruby to find Raven.
> 
> As always, thanks to Janna (http://gurrenlasagna.tumblr.com) for beta reading this fic, and to my bae (http://jungkooklikesboys.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

The way back home wasn’t at all what I expected. I mean, I did expect us to be tired and with our pockets full (of lien, not of somebody else’s valuables), but coming back home with an extra member in our team was simply out of the equation. When Ruby and I left Patch three weeks ago, we were full of energy, excited, and wouldn’t stop talking about it. I actually had to tell my sister not to use her Semblance out of impatience. Now my body feels sore and Ruby’s the one doing most of the talking.

Somehow, I find myself glancing at the trees from time to time. It’s like I’m looking for something, something very specific. I look over my shoulder almost mechanically every once in a while, expecting to find a bird.

With only one whole day of just walking around without any problems, my aura is almost full and my wounds are mostly healed, except for maybe a couple of claw marks courtesy of a pair of Beowolves. Still, I don’t have as much energy to carry the conversation as Ruby does, and I decide to just sit back and listen, maybe even throw a couple of puns in between. Weiss groans at a couple of them, but I think she actually likes them. I smile to myself at that, _finally someone who enjoys quality comedy._

Speaking of Weiss, on our way home she spoke a little more about Mantle. (This whole deal about letting Ruby handle the conversations with our new companion is not so bad. She looks excited, like an extrovert even.) Weiss said that even if the kingdom’s capital is still officially Mantle, the city has been going through many Grimm attacks since the Great War. However, Alsius seems to be growing at a very rapid pace with all the military focusing there while doing research in a wide variety of topics, including weapons and new methods of communication. Weiss said the authorities are trying to finally make Alsius the capital of the kingdom, but she left before anything close to that happened.

All that information leads me to believe that Weiss’s family was somehow involved with the council or the higher-ups. She was part of the military, but it’s hard to believe that a 15-year-old girl would get access to that kind of information. Despite all this, I refrain from asking anything more personal. When I think about it, I can’t help but look at her scar. This bothers me: if she catches me looking, she’ll believe I think poorly of her due to some sort of aesthetic reason. The truth is, I just think there’s a painful story behind it, and I can’t help but want to do something about it.

“Aaaaand, welcome home!” Ruby makes jazz hands as she gestures to the two-story cabin made out of wood, built proudly by my dad, that we call home.

“It’s… nice…” Weiss forces a smile as she scans the lodge for something out of the ordinary. The style of Patch is probably nothing like Alsius or Mantle. Even if the latter has gotten a little run down and is inhabited by people of the lower class, everything is probably still expensive and elegant, like Weiss’s clothes.

“Wow, Weiss, thank you for the compliments,” I tease her.

“I—I didn’t say anything bad!” She quickly defends herself, like I imagined she would. I hear my sister snickering, “I was just expecting your house to be in a town, not the middle of the woods.”

“Are you gonna ask if we have a bathroom now?”

“Yang!” Ruby stops Weiss before she can reply and gives me a stern look.

She is about to speak up again when the front door of our house opens. A healthy and excited dog dashes through the deck to greet my sister. I think I hear Weiss whisper ‘puppy’ with a hint of joy in her voice as she watches the small corgi jump up and down next to Ruby.

“Zwei!” My sister pets our dog happily; belly rubs are involved at some point. Zwei seems pleased.

“You got your pops worried here. Nice to see you girls are back.” I’m drawn to my dad’s voice as he comes out of our house. He’s wearing his favorite cargo shorts with a brown belt, a tan dress shirt with its sleeves cut off, and a dark brown vest that always seems out of place. He hasn’t changed his style in the few weeks we have been out.

“Dad!” Ruby rushes to greet our father. He’s waiting for her, and she jumps at him to give him a big hug. My dad hugs her back and swings her around like we used to when we were little.

Seeing as Zwei is not getting any attention, the puppy continues on his way to greet me. After a couple of pats, he moves on to sniff Weiss, and my eyes dart back to my sister and my dad.

“Look at you, Ruby, you’ve grown a lot since I last saw you. I thought you had forgotten about me,” he jokes and ruffles Ruby’s hair.

“Dad! We’ve been away less than a month!” My sister pretends to be annoyed for a couple of seconds before she goes back to her regular old bubbly self. “You wouldn’t believe all the things we have fought. We helped many people, and we saw a man with a scar that went right through the middle of his face! He wouldn't tell me how he got it, but he sold so much cool stuff!”

“Well, kiddo, you’ll have all the time in the world to tell me about your adventures right after you take a nice bath and have some food.” He pats her on the shoulder. “Now you, little dragon,” he turns at me and I already know he’s going to comment on the bandages wrapped around my biceps. “What did I tell you about jumping into a fight without a strategy?”

_Called it_. I don’t even want to think about what he’s going to do when he hears how I got this.  _Boy, oh boy._

“I’m sorry, dad, but hey! I’m still in one piece,” I force a grin at him.

“Hi sorry, I’m da—” he stops himself from making a terrible dad joke when he notices Weiss playing with Zwei to my left.

Weiss is talking to our dog in a hushed tone as she rubs Zwei’s tummy and plays with his paws, but she stops when she realizes we have all fallen silent. She quickly stands up straight and flinches from the pain on her right shoulder. Her eyes dart from my sister to me as she expects some sort of help.

“Girls! You didn’t tell me we had a guest, and more importantly, you’re hurt!” My dad approaches Weiss with clear concern written on his eyes. “Sorry, I haven’t introduced myself properly. I’m Taiyang Xiao Long.”

“Hi, Mr. Xiao Long, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’m Weiss. I don’t mean to impose; your daughters have helped me already and I don’t want to cause any inconvenience.” She seems to be on edge. Although she doesn’t step back, it almost feels like she’s forcing her body to take up as little space as possible.

Zwei sits next to her and looks at my dad.

“Please call me Tai. Would you mind if I take a look at your injury?” My dad stops in front of Weiss, his voice sweet and calm.

“Actually, we kinda brought her here so you could help her,” Ruby plays with her fingers as she speaks. “So…”

“Oh, then please come in!” Dad gestures towards the door and, as he walks towards the house, Zwei hops onto his four paws and walks alongside him. “Girls, you can get your stuff home as I help your friend.”

“Thank you so much, Mr.—”

“Tai,” my dad repeats as Weiss joins him inside.

I turn to look at my sister and make a comment about how dad reacted way too positively to this, when I find two big, grey puppy eyes staring at me, and I’m not looking at Zwei.

“Yaaaang,” she pleads.

I sigh, because I know she wants to watch dad work, and I just extend my arm for her to give me her things. She smiles and hands me the backpack with the urn, as carefully as possible, and then throws her leather belt pouch carelessly at me. Only when she is free of everything that might weigh her down does she run towards the cabin.

I sling the belt over one shoulder and hug the backpack to keep the urn secure as I get home. Once I’m inside, I head straight to the stairs leading to the bedroom I share with Ruby. Unfortunately for Weiss, we couldn’t return to the family's house to retrieve her things after the Grimm attacked us. She had to kiss the only belongings she had goodbye. Maybe we can go back when we return to finish the quest, since we don’t plan on keeping some stranger’s ashes home.

I can hear Weiss narrating the story of how she found herself in trouble to my dad as he treats her wound. (Ruby is surprisingly silent: Weiss’s beautiful voice isn’t interrupted by my sister’s constant ramble.) Weiss doesn’t tell my dad exactly why she was there, since it’s probably not a good idea to announce in Sanus that you are from Alsius. She simply says she left her home in hopes of a better life as a huntress and found an empty cabin. She went in, hoping she would find useful resources, and found herself in the middle of a Grimm hoard.

It’s when she begins narrating how we appear out of nowhere and save her that Ruby interjects and I lose track of the story, so I move on and close my bedroom door behind me. The first thing I put down is the bag with the urn. I place it neatly on Ruby’s “tinkering” desk, making sure it’s not close to the edges, so if Ruby barges in and kicks the table, like she often does, she won’t drop the valuable item and a person's remains on our bedroom floor.

After that, I drop our belts on our respective beds and stretch.  _I could really use a shower._ My mind wanders and I can already feel the water on my skin and the gratifying feeling of running my fingers through my hair as I apply some conditioner. The sound of droplets hitting the tiles of the floor is something I’ve considered music for a very long time, and although turning the bathroom into a sauna has never been intentional, it still feels amazing...

I realize that, as I was thinking all of that, I unconsciously began undressing myself.

My jacket, my pants and my shirt are on my bed, and I honestly don’t know when that happened.  _That sounds so awful it might be a line from a terrible trashy novel._

Now that I think about it, I haven’t read as many trashy novels as I should. I make a mental note of that. Also, I finish getting undressed because I’m sure as hell getting a shower now.

Before heading to the bathroom, I grab the stash of different hair care products I keep in my closet for the occasion along with a couple of towels. If one wants to be the envy of the whole town, one has to take care of oneself. I don’t really want people to envy me, but the idea of making every room I walk in mine sounds like a great objective. As I imagine myself wearing some cool, badass gear, I make it to the bathroom and leave the door ajar: gotta make sure the steam has somewhere to go.

After finding a proper arrangement for my hair products and actually getting in the shower, I open the cold water tap and just embrace the cascade of fresh water coming my way. One of the pros of having a Semblance that manifests itself as fire is that I’m never cold; the bad thing is that I get hot easily.  _I’m hot._

I laugh to myself because that might have been one of the worst jokes I’ve ever made. Even I would goan if I said it out loud. After that, I simply enjoy carrying out my favorite home ritual as my dad tends to an almost complete stranger downstairs with my sister. I feel a huge weight lifting off of my shoulders.  _Shoulders!_ I now remember I have to take off the bandages wrapping my biceps and shoulders... They are already soaked.  _Great._

Once I take care of my hair like I’m supposed to, I quickly clean the rest of my body. It’s not until I turn off the tap that I wrap myself in a towel, and I do the same with my hair. I open the door to let the steam escape the room as I gather up my things and go to my room. I briefly look at the fogged mirror,  _such a shame I can’t see the pretty blonde lady._

When I open my closet again to put back my stash of products, I look at all my clothes to see what pieces of clothing I’ll be picking for this evening. Now that I feel refreshed and light as a feather, I want to put on some summer clothes, even if it’s barely the beginning of spring.

I find one of my favorite tank tops near the end of the rack and toss it over my shoulder as I look for a nice pair of shorts to go with it. This time, when I find the right jeans to wear, I throw them at my bed with the rest of my clothes before turning around to pick some underwear, and that’s when I see it.

Outside my window, there’s a raven standing on a tree branch with a perfect view of me and my sister’s bedroom. The window is closed, the curtains are open. I can see it, and it can see me. It’s looking straight at me with its deep crimson eyes. I feel a shiver go down my spine. All I can think about is Raven and I just rub my eyes.  _It can’t be here, I was in a bad shape, I’m just imaginin’ things._

I pinch the bridge of my nose and gather up the courage to open my eyes again. I can feel the tension in my shoulders; once I dare to look, it quickly goes away. There’s no bird to be seen from my bedroom window.

_I’m seein’ things_ , I tell myself, suddenly forgetting how relaxed I was after that perfect cold shower. I can’t stop thinking about Raven, and even if I try to push those thoughts away, it’s the only thing I can think about as I get dressed. It doesn’t matter if the bird was there or not, what happened in the forest had to be real, or at least part of it had to be real. I know for a fact that I didn’t kill all the Grimm: someone saved me, and it wasn’t Ruby.

Even if I heard my savior’s name wrong, her appearance reminds me of one of the pictures I saw of her. That photo is kept in a drawer of my dad’s bedroom, tucked under his shirts. I found it by accident as I was looking for my birthday presents when I was 10, and I didn’t tell him anything about it. Maybe it was because I had no idea who that woman with dad, mom and Qrow was. Even if she resembled Qrow way too much, and I was convincing myself that dad wouldn’t keep a picture of my real mom and never show it to me, I kept quiet.

Summer’s face appears on my mind, and I feel guilty. She will always be the best mom. She raised me as her daughter and showed me love like no one ever has. She was also a badass and the best story teller that could have ever existed, no wonder Ruby doesn't like the way I tell stories. Summer taught me how to bake. She told me that if I set my mind on anything and work hard, I'll succeed.

My mind is somewhere else as I walk down the stairs. I keep thinking about it with such fixation it disturbs me. Long black hair, pale skin, and burning red eyes. Those were the features I remember of the woman who saved me; those are the features of the woman in that photo. Before I notice, I’m almost in the kitchen and I hear my dad giving instructions to Weiss.

“You won’t need many aura suppressors. Your shoulder will be fully healed in a couple of days.” My dad smiles as he puts away the unused rolls of bandages back into the white box on the dining table. “I also may have to change your bandages before you head to bed.”

“Thank you so much Mr—,” Weiss stops herself as my dad cocks his head to the side. “Tai, thank you. Again, I don’t know what I’d have done without the help of your family.”

“You’d probably be dead,” I say. Up until that point, only my dad had seen me leaning against the doorframe with my arms crossed. My sister and Weiss turn to look at me.

Ruby giggles uncomfortably, gets off the chair, and speaks before Weiss can ponder on the possibility of being dead. “I mean, good thing we were there, huh?”

My father chuckles at my sister’s awkwardness. “Why don’t you girls take a shower and get into some comfortable clothes? I’ll be making dinner soon.”

Weiss gets off the chair she was sitting on. “Like I said, I don’t mean to impose. Besides,” she sighs, “I lost most of my belongings.”

That’s right, she even wanted to go back for them until Ruby told her it was a bad idea. We were hurt, and going back the same way a huge horde of Grimm came from was a very bad idea. That’s why we decided to just head home, recover, and go back to the cabin and the village we got the mission from.

“I’m sure one of my girls has something that will fit you.”

Weiss automatically looks at me, or, more precisely, at my boobs. She realizes I catch her staring and she blushes when I smirk at her. She does everything in her power not to tense her shoulders before she speaks, “I—I’m sure Ruby has something that can fit me.”

We both know I’m not just taller: I’m bigger. I can’t really say how old Weiss is, but I’m betting she is as old as me. Despite that, her body shape looks more like Ruby’s, a short and slender girl; but unlike Ruby, she’s much more ladylike and delicate in her mannerisms.

“Oh yeah! We can go through my stuff and find something!” My sister says excitedly. She’s about to tug Weiss’s hand when she realizes it’s probably not a good idea, considering her injuries. “I mean, I’m a little short and I may not have the same cute style as you but....”

Ruby is in the right. She is a few inches shorter than Weiss, there has to be something that fits. My sister passes right by me with a smile. After thanking my dad one last time with a curtsy, Weiss slides past me, avoiding my gaze for obvious reasons, and I giggle.  _Man, this girl is so prim and proper, it’s hilarious._

After the two girls are gone, my dad clears his throat and I turn to look at him. He’s putting the rest of his tools and medical equipment back in the box. The chair next to him is empty. I know he wants to have a word with me, and there’s no point avoiding it, so I take a seat next to him.

“Hey kiddo,” he turns to me, resting one of his elbows on the table as he faces me. He usually calls me his ‘little sunny dragon’, so I know he’s being serious or that, at least, I’m supposed to take what we will discuss seriously.

“Hey dad, sorry we came with a unannounced guest,” I shrug, fully aware that my dad will get to the point in no time.

“She seems like a nice girl… From Mantle?”

“Alsius.”

He nods. He figured it out quickly, just like me. After all, he is aware of the colors usually used in Mantle fashion, seeing as he met and fought several Mantle soldiers over the years. “She said you saved her, along with your sister, from a big horde of Grimm. And Ruby said you stayed behind.”

I rest both elbows on the table and take a deep breath. Of course, dad always gets to the point. And of course, he would disapprove of my actions. “It was either that or a sure death for the three of us.”

“Little dragon, I’m not saying saving that girl wasn’t a noble thing to do. I know you and your sister were doing what you believe is right.” He leans closer. “But not everyone you meet out there is going to mean well, or be a deserter of the Alsuis army. That girl could have been someone who was setting up a trap or worse, you would have been taken as a prisoner.”

“That didn’t happen,” I say dryly.

“No, it didn’t, and you decided to face a swarm of Grimm on your own.” He shakes his head. “Yang, I know you believe that you are indestructible when you use your Semblance, but—”

“I’m not indestructible,” I try to explain myself, but my father continues.

“I know, but you keep doing the same thing I always tell you not to. Your uncle and I trained you as best as we could, and we allowed you and Ruby to take on missions under the one condition that you would keep a low profile.” I don’t look at him, but I can hear the pain in his voice. “If Ruby hadn’t found you in time, maybe another Grimm would have finished the job and—”

“I almost died,” I confess. Maybe with that, he will finally listen.

“Yes, you almost died because you were reckless—”

“No dad, I almost died,” I interrupt him again, this time slamming my fists on the table. “Ruby didn’t save me. All these marks I have,” I point at my arms, “I didn’t get them while fightin’. I was down, way before Ruby came, dad. There were too many of them, even my Semblance wasn’t worth shit against all of them. They wouldn’t stop comin’.”

“What are you—?”

“I’m sayin’ that I almost died even before Ruby got to me. I—Raven saved me.” As soon as I say her name, dad’s eyes go wide, then he frowns. “My mom, Raven, saved me.”

“Yang, I don’t know what—”

“It was her, I saw her, she told me who she was before I blacked out!” I turn to him and slam one of my firsts on the table again. “I know it was her, even if I haven’t seen her before. Even if you never talked to me about her.”

He sighs and shakes his head. Now it’s him who rests both elbows on the dining table. “Yang, it’s not the time for this.”

“Not the time for this?” I get off the chair. “Dad, I almost died, and the woman who gave birth to me came to save me. A woman who I’ve never met, that you and Qrow never dare to talk about. A woman who I’ve never spoken to knew where I was and that I was in danger.”

He just rakes his fingers through his hair.

“Why did she leave us? Why did she leave  _me_?” I ask with urgency. “Why do you and Qrow never talk about her? Why did you never tell me anything about her? I have the right to know. All those years, even after Summer’s death, and you kept it away from me. Why?”

“Yang.” My father raises his hand and stops me from continuing. My voice has gotten higher with every new question. “You are not old enough to have this conversation. Things are complicated, and me and Qrow have—”

“Have decided to keep important information from me? I almost died!”

“Yang.”

“I’m old enough to go on missions and get killed. I was old enough to face a hoard of Grimm and see my life flash before my eyes before gettin’ torn to shreds,” I kick the table next to me by accident, “but not to know why the hell my mom left me behind? My own mother?”

“Yang,” my dad calls my name again with a stern voice.

“No, you are going to tell me what the hell is going on! I deserve to know this, she’s my mom and—”

“Yang!” I jump back. My dad stares at me, his deep, piercing blue eyes looking right through me. “We are not having this conversation right now. You are not mature enough for it.”

We stare at each other. I can see my dad is clearly pissed, but I’m angry too. He wants me to just put this behind and forget about it, but I can’t. This isn’t about some silly thing, this is about me and a woman who has been absent my whole life being there the one moment I needed someone. I was denied the chance to connect with her before; I can only imagine the what ifs.  _What if my mother didn't want to leave me and they were keeping something else from me?_

“What you did was incredibly dangerous, and you almost paid for that mistake with your life. You are not a huntress yet, you can’t put yourself in risky situations just for the thrill of it. Your training is not over, and you thought you were able to judge a situation and miscalculated.” Although he keeps up the same tone as he scolds me, he sounds tired. “You can’t jump at the first thing that comes at you. Not now, and not even when you are as experienced as me. Being a huntsman is not an easy job.”

I know that. I know what I did was incredibly stupid and dangerous, but it was the only thing I could do to save my sister. I’ve held my dad’s gaze for too long, and I’m getting even more pissed because I know he’s right with regards to the situation, but I just can’t let it go and my mouth betrays me. “It’s not an easy job, and it apparently involves lying to your daughter.”

“Yang,  _enough_. This is over.”

I groan and leave the kitchen, stomping on my way up. The house is deadly quiet aside from the noise I’m making. It’s a statement. I can see Ruby peeking through the door of the guest room, and Weiss is probably hiding, not wanting to get involved in family matters. My sister seems scared and hurt, but I ignore her as I make my way up the stairs. I don’t have time for this, even if I saw the pain in my father’s eyes as he told me to shut the fuck up. I don’t have the time or energy to deal with this.

I close my bedroom door with a slam. Zwei is left behind the door, and I can hear him whimper. I don’t want to hear any of it. I’m pissed, I’m so pissed.  _I have the right to know._  All these years I’ve kept it quiet because I thought better of my dad, I thought it caused him pain. Yet he chose not to tell me anything, chose to lie to me. It’s not fair that I get treated like a fucking kid when I was willing to die 24 hours ago.

I push all the clothes and equipment out of my bed, kick a trashcan, and contemplate turning my bed upside down. I want to punch things, to break wood with my own fists, not caring if those things are mine or Ruby’s. I don’t care if the destruction I cause will come to bite me in the ass later, if I ever regret it. I don’t care anymore, I don’t—

There’s a bird looking at me.

It doesn't scare me when I see it, standing on my windowsill. I thought the window was closed, yet the wind moves the curtains slightly like a soft caress; and the raven is there, waiting, black feathers covering the wings as it moves them just so slightly, like a twitch. It’s looking at me, cocking its head to the side. Its deep red eyes make me freeze.

“Yang.”

My blood runs cold. I recognize that voice: it’s my mother’s.

For a moment I stare at the raven, wide eyed, because I think I just heard my mom communicate through it. The vague idea that maybe she’s just like Qrow and can also speak using her bird form doesn’t seem that crazy. But then I feel a presence behind me. I’m not sure if that presence has been there for long, or if what I’m feeling is real at all. Maybe I’ve just lost it, and ravens trigger something in me now.

Despite that, I turn around, hesitant, only to find myself staring at the figure of the armored woman that saved my life yesterday. Her deep crimson eyes find mine, and suddenly all my rage and frustration disappear. Being angry at my father would be a waste of time now, since my mother is standing right in front of me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year, everyone!  
> Here's to hoping 2018 doesn't suck.


	4. The Prodigal Daughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You like your fics gay, I like Raven mysterious.

_She made an offer that day, and I took it._

_I didn’t think twice about it, I just grabbed my things and left._

 

* * *

  

The trees have shed their leaves three times since I last walked this path. I look around, enjoying the wonderful sight of a familiar forest on this pleasing spring morning. Although the birds sing beautiful melodies, it’s my eyes that keep my mind occupied as I scan my surroundings for a red roof.

_So much has changed now. I’m not a 15-year-old kid anymore. I’m not the person I used to be before I left._

I know I can’t lie to myself, so I accept it: I’m anxious. Even after all the things I’ve been through since I decided to venture into the dark and forgotten woods of Sanus in search for answers, I still haven’t mastered the art of controlling my emotions. _She_ has pointed that out, of course.

I stop thinking about her, or at least, I manage to put those thoughts aside when I find the red roof I was looking for.

A nice and cozy cabin greets me. It’s the place that appeared in my mind every time I closed my eyes for the past three years while I was enduring the harshest training I’ve ever faced. Now it’s real, it’s in front of me. As my eyes wander through the big logs that make out the basic structure of the cabin, I take note of the open curtains of the front windows. There’s smoke coming out of the chimney: that’s how I know someone's home.

Alden taps my shoulder with one of his feet, reminding me that the smoke is not the reason why I know someone is there. I pretend to ignore him, even though he knows I’m paying attention. He is the reason I know someone is home and who that person is, but I refuse to acknowledge that out loud just to spite him.

Alden also pretends to ignore me.

I take a deep breath and decide to step forward to finally close the distance between myself and the front door. Alden leaves my shoulder, and I can see him flying up towards the branch of a nearby tree. His perfectly groomed black feathers get back to their proper place as soon as he flaps his wings.

When I’m finally in front of the door, I hesitate. I originally intended to just open the door and make myself at home, but my hand hovers over the handle for a moment. I realize that hesitation is not a good sign. I feel Alden’s bright crimson eyes piercing through the back of my head. I sigh and grip the strap of my duffle bag a little bit tighter with my left hand. _Fuck it._

I knock on the door. It feels weird, wrong. This is my home. This is the first time I’ve ever knocked on this door.

“Be there in a minute,” the voice of a man replies on the other side. He sounds calm yet full of energy. The ruckus that accompanies his words indicates that he’s probably in the kitchen: pots clinging together with other metal utensils.

I can’t hear any hurried paws bumping against the wooden floor of the cabin, which means Zwei isn’t home. If the excited puppy had been sleeping, he would have come my way anyway. Come to think of it, this isn’t the first time I’ve missed him. The thought of petting him had crossed my mind several times for the first months I was away. I glance at Alden from the corner of my eye, already planning to send him to check things for me.

“Hello, how can I—,” the owner of the voice opens the door, and his blue eyes widen as soon as he sees me. He stares at me, perplexed; he probably thinks I’m not real. I don’t blame him.

“Hi, dad, I—”

I’m scooped up from the floor by strong and muscular arms. With no previous notice, I’m being hugged tightly like there’s no tomorrow. At first I’m taken aback, but that feeling fades away quickly and I return the hug in almost the same manner as his (my bear hugs are kind of a trademark). I lose track of time.

_Like, I genuinely don’t know how long we stay like this,_ all I can think about is the warmth of my father and how I finally feel like I can rest. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this since I was a kid. A wave of relief hits me like a car crashing through a brick wall and I’m lost for words.

I’m not sure when he moves back, but when he does, he places both hands on my shoulders and smiles at me. He then moves one of my rebellious curls behind my ear. “My sunny little dragon is finally home.”

He’s a little teary-eyed and all I can do is laugh. The strand of hair my dad had just brushed behind my ear returns to its original place, defying gravity.

“Please, come in, I was actually making lunch.” He steps back inside and gestures at the couch, clearly indicating where I should drop my duffle bag. I follow suit after closing the front door behind me. “I wasn’t expecting company, but I can add more vegetables for you.”

“I kinda miss your delicious stir-fried veggies,” I say as he goes into the kitchen.

“Sadly, they’re going to be steamed this time.”

I fake a whine, and instead of joining him, I take a look around. The old place hasn’t changed much. I see a couple of extra pillows that seem a little out of place—they’re too elegant compared to the style our family can be recognized for. There’s also what I think it’s a bed for our dog to sleep in next to the couch. An open book lies on the coffee table, no bookmark in sight. The fire in the chimney warms up the living room, making it the perfect amount of cozy and warm for someone to read on this chill spring morning.

Before I finally decide to join my dad, I eye the photographs he keeps around. One of them, on a small table by a wall, catches my eye. There are two young huntresses in the picture: one seems excited, while the other seems amused at the first’s antics. It’s a nice photo, taken not long ago. I smile.

“So, where have you been? Qrow hasn’t been very generous with the details.” I find my dad chopping some vegetables on a wooden board. He’s not wearing the apron Ruby gave him for father’s day seven years ago, but I don’t think he’s going to mess up his plain grey shirt or his dark orange shorts with what he’s doing.

“Where haven’t I been?” I reply with a question as I sit down on one of the chairs at the dining table. I continue, “Well, I haven’t been to Anima, so you can cross Alsius and Mantle off the list... And Mistral, I’ve been close though.”

I let the silence settle for a minute before I speak again. I was testing the waters, after all. “I’m not certain of where I was most of the time. When things were tough, I had a hard time not passing out. Keepin’ my eyes open and not lettin’ my guard down was a high priority compared to figurin’ out where on the map I was.

“I just know I’ve found myself lost in the forest, walked by mountains, and at some point I was at the coast watching some ships sailin’ to Mistral. I was conscious by that time, not on vacation though. You can cross gettin’ a sick tan off the things I did.” I shrug.

My dad finishes chopping the vegetables and puts them in a pot, then fills it with water. “How often did you pass out because of aura depletion?”

He sounds calm, but I’m surprised he noticed the reason behind my blackouts. I stare at my arms, the places where most of my scars are. They aren’t big or long, but still, they are there. Maybe my dad was able to notice just enough marks on the small space between the end of my jacket and the arm warmers I wear. They are a clear sign of my aura not doing any healing. He is right though, I pushed myself to that point too many times.

“She warned me, and I was too stubborn to listen,” I admit.

My dad puts the pot on the stove and joins me at the dining table. He rests his elbows on the table and looks at me. I haven’t seen him in three years. At times, it felt like eternity; now that I’m right in front of him, it seems like nothing. He has barely changed, still keeps his beard well trimmed except for that stubble on his chin. His curly blonde hair is cut short enough to keep it under control, but not too much, to boast about his good looks. When I was little, he tried to convince me to do the same with my unruly hair to keep it in place; unfortunately for that poor hairstylist, I set the place on fire. No one was going to touch my golden locks.

The way he’s sitting and how he’s leaning forward reminds me of the argument we had before I left. My dad looks content, but also very tired. I can tell by his eyes, since his clothes, while not the best, are well groomed and cleaned. He’s not wearing his usual shoulder pad, he hasn’t taken any mission on the last few days. I end up staring at his tattoo for a bit too long as I wait for him to ask a question, but he doesn’t mind, it’s our family sigil.

My throat tightens a bit, even though I thought I was over this. I had mentally prepared myself before coming back, but my hesitation while at the door and now this make me start to question myself. That’s not a good sign.

He sighs. My eyes find his. “Was it worth it?”

I don’t reply as soon as he asks, but I don’t look away as I try to find the proper words to give him an answer. I know he has been waiting for this since the moment I left the house.

“Yes,” I reply with honesty, and he nods bitterly, assuming that’s my final answer. “But I understand now, why you and Qrow didn’t want me to go find her.”

He’s about to add something, but I gesture with my hand and he stops himself.

“That doesn’t mean I agree with it, I still think you could have said somethin’ that could have helped me understand the situation, because I get that you were tryin’ to protect me or thinkin’ you were protectin’ me.”

My dad sits back against the wooden chair. “How much did she tell you?”

“Not much really, she likes being mysterious.” I shrug and he nods again, because he knows her. Then I add, “But, of the few things she _did_ tell me, it was enough for me to figure some things out myself. And, if you want me to be honest, I kinda get what she did too, and why she did it.”

“I can’t say I’m okay with how things turned out after all of that, but I found some middle ground and—I know, kinda hard to see me not jumping to extremes, right?” I chuckle. “Things are not as black and white as I thought they were.”

My father smiles. I can see his shoulders lose some tension.

“I know she and you had a big fight, and that she thought it was better for me not to be raised by a group of bandits.” I sigh. She hadn’t really said it, but I found out she didn’t return to her tribe as a leader; she had to win her position there. Bringing a new kid along would never be a good idea.

My father watches me silently, and I think he wants to add something. Maybe even explain what they argued about before she left, but he stops himself. He seems to have another idea in mind, so he leans forward. “I’m glad you found the answers you were looking for, your sister and I really missed you. We just wanted to know you were okay and happy.”

He places a hand on my left arm reassuringly.

I smile back at him. “Well, after all that trainin’, gettin’ my ass whooped and stuff, somethin’ good had to come out of it.”

“So Raven didn’t go soft on you.” He moves back again and crosses his arms over his chest. I just shrug and offer an awkward smile. Out of all the words I’d use to describe the woman, soft, tender or kind aren’t among the options. “Were you free to leave at any point?”

“Yeah, but you know what they say: no pain, no gain.”

He nodded. “I can see she lent you one of her birds.”

My dad points at the window, and I spot Alden looking at us from outside. I’m surprised that my dad noticed his presence, since Alden does a good job at hiding between leaves and bushes. He can be really sneaky. Right now he’s on a tree branch, comfortably stalking us like only he could do.

“More like she ordered him to follow me around,” I smile at Alden and he caws from the other side of the window. “He’s really cranky most the time, and he doesn’t seem to like me very much. So he’s forced to stay with me until he gets tired or something.”

“Well, as long as he doesn’t start tapping on windows to get inside, he can stay.” My dad leaves his seat to check on the vegetables.

He probably doesn’t want Alden around since it reminds him of Raven. Now that I think about it, my dad knows about her birds, since they were teammates for many years (and, well, had a kid together—me). Maybe Alden brings back painful memories. _Did Raven ever communicate with him through her birds after she left? I only ever saw her speaking with Qrow._

“The no-birds-in-this-house rule doesn’t exist because of your uncle,” my dad says as he takes the vegetables out of the water and starts getting some meat out of the fridge. “Qrow messes things up on purpose, but I’m sure your companion, if he is as difficult as you say, is going to do the same.”

I look at Alden and cock a brow before directing a smug smirk at him. He cocks his head to the side. “I wouldn’t put it past him, but I haven’t really seen Qrow mess around to be honest.”

My dad chuckles. “I used to lock all the windows just to spite him. He used to fly around and knock all of our papers. Summer said I was being rude, and kept opening them again. So Qrow came around like always, messed everything up, and exclaimed _‘fuck the police_ ’.”

My dad raises one fist as he fries the meat on the pan. He even decently imitates Qrow’s raspy voice as he speaks.

I enjoy listening to him tell stories about when he was young, especially if it includes uncle Qrow or mom. Qrow is not bad at telling stories either—his are raunchy—, it’s just that my dad tends to act all the parts, which ends up being better. Now that I think about it, Ruby usually looks at him with stars in her eyes as he narrates the adventures he got into when he met Qrow and our mom.

“Alden will stay outside, he’s not much of a people bird anyways,” I say as my dad finishes preparing our plates.

I decide to give him a hand and set the table for the both of us. As I grab the glasses, forks, and knives, I realize that everything is exactly where it was three years ago. Well, not everything: for starters, I notice certain food products in the fridge that Ruby doesn’t consume, and aside from the whisky glasses clearly brought home by Qrow, there are wine glasses. Just like the pillows, the dog bed, the girl in the picture, and the way my dad looks at me every time with relief and endearment, I know things have changed.

When we finally sit at the table again, my dad passes me the salt, saying, “So you’re not staying for long.”

He probably noticed that my duffle bag is full and ready to go and that I too am ready to leave. I didn’t even take off my jacket, like I used to after a long day outside. I’m still easy to read. _And here I thought living with a group of bandits would have changed that._

“What gave it away?” I ask, keeping myself from taking a bite of the meal since I know once I start, I won’t be able to stop. My dad, on the other hand, is already enjoying his delicious home-cooked food.

"Your uncle Qrow.” His answer takes me by surprise. “He told me it was going to be impossible to keep you home when you came back.”

I laugh. The last time Qrow saw me, I had been sleep deprived for three days. My clothes had been barely held together, torn to shreds by Beowolves. I’m sure I looked like shit. I can barely remember what he said to me, and I think, after that, Raven made me fight a King Taijitu with my bare fists. To be honest, everything seems like a blur now that I try to think about it.

“Don’t worry dad, maybe I’ll stay a day or two to keep you company.”

I finally allow myself to dig in. The taste of a home-cooked meal is that of Paradise, and just like all of those times I had no aura left in myself, I close my eyes, surrendering to the one overpowering sensation. My mind wanders. This time it’s a pleasure, and when I open my eyes again, there’s a delicious warm plate in front of me and a parent that watches me make a fool of myself with a smile.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a reason to why there's a time skip. There's also a reason why this is written if first point of view.  
> Next chapter is going to be a little different to what you're used to.


	5. Piña Colada

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, for all you Americans reading this fic:  
> I've decided to make the legal drinking age of Vale 18, like most countries.
> 
> Once again, huge thanks to Janna (http://gurrenlasagna.tumblr.com) for beta reading this fic, and to my bae (http://jungkooklikesboys.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

 

There’s a light pink blush on her cheeks, the result of a day of hard work. Tomorrow there will be no trace of what the Sun has done to her skin, and unlike her sister, she will have no freckles left behind as proof.

This is not the first time I’ve found myself admiring her skin. I don’t see much of it, since she’s always wearing more layers of clothing than it’s recommended for a spring day. The same holds true for summer. Nonetheless, I know I’m envious of her resistance to long days working under the Sun; I usually get burned quite fast, and she pokes fun at me calling me a tomato every time she has the chance.

I find that really annoying; _she_ can be really annoying. Yet here I am, admiring something as simple as her cheeks as she sits across from me at a bar table. I’m not sure of when this started, but it clearly needs to stop _. Focus, Weiss._

“That’s it! I’m gonna ask for a sugar cookie vodka martini!” Ruby announces as her eyes dart in my direction, leaving the drinks menu after three minutes of staring at it while making faces at every other drink on it.

I frown at her. “You’re not going to have that, it’s too childish.”

She puts the menu down with a flick of her wrists and breathes in before speaking. “It’s on the menu, I’m having it!”

“No, you’re not! You’re still underage,” I snap back. The idea of getting a drink after such a long, fruitless mission to cheer each other up was hers, but I didn’t expect her to actually order any alcoholic drinks.

“We’re not in Vale,” she retorts while she crosses her arms and pouts.

She isn’t wrong: this small town is many miles away from any proper city with well-formulated laws that would control alcohol consumption. Even if we were in Vale, this bar that’s awfully lighted and has many suspicious looking patrons wouldn’t exactly be considered an example of a law-abiding establishment (even if the waitress that welcomed us seems like a respectful lady). But that’s besides the point. Even if the waiters do look well groomed and wear tidy uniforms, and even if this inconspicuous bar is located in a small town, it shouldn’t be an excuse to allow Ruby to drink when she’s only 16. She can wait a year longer.

“Regardless of whether that’s true or not, I don’t think vodka would be the proper way to start your drinking history,” I say. Ruby probably assumes I’m offering her a chance to drink, but I’m absolutely not going to let that happen.

“Come on, Weiss! It’s been a whole week and, and—it has cookie on its name!” She whines as she shows me the drink on the menu, acting like a child. It just further proves my point: if she doesn’t behave like an adult, she can’t do activities done by adults.

Ruby notices that I’m going to reject her request once more, and she interrupts me before I manage to say anything. “Pleeeeeeeease.”

I clear my throat in disapproval of her attitude and prepare to put an end to this silly quarrel when the lovely waitress, who had previously introduced herself as Jade, returns. The last time she was by our table, she’d left the two old drink menus with us.

“A piña colada for the lovely lady with the white hair.” Jade places a very flamboyant drink on the table, right in front of me, and smiles. She holds the circular tray on which she bought the drink close to her chest in a shy manner.

While Ruby coos teasingly, I blink and stare at the white drink with a small umbrella, a cherry, and a pineapple slice added on the side.

I turn to Jade and ask, “Who sent this?”

“Weiss’s got a boyfriend.” I ignore Ruby’s uninformed remark.

“Oh, the person over…” Jade turns slightly and scans the bar with her green eyes, looking for the one responsible for this. Her index finger, which I’m assuming she was going to use to point to the person, remains hanging as she fails to locate the mysterious patron. “They were just there…”

Somehow I expected it, and my throat constricts at the realization. Had it been any other drink, or had the simpleton responsible for this been pointed out, this would mean nothing. But now I can’t stop thinking about it and I feel hyper aware of our surroundings. I don’t want to say that I feel the walls closing in on me, but there’s no other way I could describe it.

 _That’s a lie_. I actually can, and I find myself thinking of darkness swallowing me whole in so many different ways that I don’t notice when Jade starts moving away.

“Weiss, hey, are you okay?” Ruby asks. I blink and turn to her; she looks worried. “You look pale, like, as if you’d seen a ghost.”

There’s so much I wish I could tell her—in fact, thousands of thoughts rush to my head. Yet just four words escape my mouth instead. “I hate piña colada.”

Ruby looks at me confused. “That’s it? How would you expect the guy to know?”

I hate piña colada, I despise it with all my heart. This might not be a relevant fact to many, but very few know about this, and that’s what frightens me. My throat closes up again when I try to speak because I know there’s only one possible explanation for this. The drink menu is filled with ridiculous alcoholic beverages full of fruit, sweets, and some rather disgusting combinations, but out of all the different 60 drinks this bar has to offer, someone picked the one I cannot tolerate.

This wasn’t unintentional. This drink was chosen specifically for me, and someone asked for it to be brought to my table before they disappeared. This was a clear message, and I can feel my blood drain. My stomach flips and I try to swallow.

 _How was I so foolish to believe that I would get away with everything? That I could just run away and live a normal life outside of the kingdom and forget about everything else? That these adventures I’ve been having with someone I can call a friend, and a nice place to sleep after every long quest, would be a given?_ I chastise myself with every thought for being so daft and acting like only a child would. The last three years had been so peaceful I just assumed it would continue being that way. _I never deserved to be happy._

“Ruby, there are only five people in all of Remnant that know I hate piña colada, and they aren’t from Sanus,” I explain, almost out breath, as I continue to scan my surroundings. My efforts to stay alert seem to be in vain, since I’ve failed to locate any indicators of the patron who sent this to me.

_Winter was right, I’m such an idiot._

“Weiss, it’s just a drink.” Ruby shifts on her seat, attempting to block my view with her innocent face. I ignore her and continue registering the face of every other customer.

“Even _I_ didn’t know you didn’t like piña colada! Weiss!” Ruby tries to get my attention again.

I just can’t do it. I can’t focus on anything else but the feeling crawling through my skin that everything I’ve lived through these past three years has been in vain. That my destiny was set in stone the moment I deserted the Alsius army, the day I decided to stand up to—

“Weiss.” Ruby holds my head in her hands and I’m forced to stare into her deep grey eyes. The world fades around me somehow. “I’ve been traveling for you for three years and I didn’t even know you didn’t like piña colada. Can this just maybe be some guy trying to be all mysterious and smooth trying to get your attention, and messing it up?”

I open my mouth to reply, but there’s something in the way that Ruby’s looking at me that makes me rethink what I have to say. I’ve let thoughts flow without any sort of organization, and if it wasn’t for the soothing color of Ruby’s eyes, I would have been too close to just letting everything spill from my mouth. Perhaps it’s the feeling of her smooth hands holding my cheeks, I’m not certain. All I know is that I’m weak.

“It can’t just be that, it’s too much of a coincidence.”

“Explain.”

“What?” I blink at her.

“There’s a reason why you think someone’s after you.” Ruby’s hands leave my face as she sits back down on her seat. With the way she’s looking at me, so determined and honest, it’s just hard to tell her ‘no’.

I take a deep breath. “Ruby, I deserted the army. If someone from Alsuis saw me, they’d probably kill me.” I try my best, but I can’t just tell her everything. It’s too painful, and this isn’t the time or place for that. She doesn’t need to know the specifics.

“And what makes you think that some Alsius soldier came all the way from Anima just to hunt you down in the middle of a little town?” Ruby asks me.

_Because I defied a commanding officer and one of the highest members of the council before I sneaked out of the kingdom with Alsius technology in hand. Myrteneaster may have been forged for me, but it doesn’t belong to me._

_Or because the person I insulted said he would make my life miserable, he’d make sure of it._

_I’m certain that he isn’t going to let me slip away._

“You don’t know the Alsius military like I do,” I say in a hushed tone. Suddenly I’m aware of the bar and of every single customer around us again.

Ruby presses her lips together and her brow furrows. She’s so naive to believe that these things happen for no reason. She has no clue of who I am.

“Okay, let’s go over this.”

“Over what?”

“You are saying that some soldier just happens to have infiltrated this town and found his target, you. And instead of just confronting you and being all like ‘In the name of the Alsius military and whatever the general’s name is or whoever you told to suck a lollipop, I hereby take your life away’, he just bought you a drink you didn’t like?” Ruby makes an awful attempt at imitating a grown man’s voice. She’s so ridiculous.

“Not exactly like that, but—” I sigh. Maybe she’s right and I’m just overthinking. Even if we have been helping a lot of people, we’re always jumping from town to town, never staying too long, per my request. I know that my white hair is something that might catch the eye of many, but Ruby is the one who tends to do the talking.

_I just want to be left alone._

“Maybe you’re right…” I still don’t feel too confident about that.

Ruby takes a deep breath; I know she does that every time she’s giving things a second thought. She closes the drink menu on her end of the table.

“If you’re not feeling alright, we can go back to the inn. We can go out for a drink some other day,” Ruby offers with a smile, and I’m touched. “What do you say?”

To her, everything might sound like paranoia or just plain nonsense, but even then she decides to ask me what I prefer doing, because she prioritizes my feelings. Earlier she was so excited about this and tried to make me feel better after our search led to nothing. Now she’s willing to sweep everything under the rug. Perhaps I don’t give her enough credit and she’s more mature than I think.

“That sounds good, maybe we can do this another day.” I close my menu as well. The piña colada is left behind on the table as we leave. Jade tries to persuade us to stay, but we politely reject her offer. Ruby gives her a tip, nonetheless, and we return to the small inn I picked when we arrived earlier today.

Ruby doesn’t question me on our way back. However, I see her keeping an eye open for me. The people around us are unknown to me, and even if they live here, I don’t feel safe. I see and hear things that are maybe not there, like stares or whispers. I notice a black bird flying on top of us, and I immediately think it’s a bad sign.

I decide to look away and my eyes immediately dart back to Ruby. She smiles like a dolt when she catches me staring, and I refuse to acknowledge it, of course. The couple of blocks from the bar to the inn seem light years away, but we make it back to our room without any major inconvenience.

As soon as I open the door, a beautiful puppy greets me with a happy bark. Zwei’s tail wags from side to side on the floor as he sits in front of me. Who knows how long he’s been there.

“Oh, such a good boy, did you miss us?” I greet Zwei and pet him with all the energy I can muster. He leans into my touch, happy to see me again as he enjoys my strokes and scratches on the sides of his head and under his muzzle.

Ruby slides past me and into the room. The first thing she does is drop her cloak on one chair by the window, next to an empty desk. She then starts removing some of her accessories, including the numerous belts she has on—which I disapprove of—, and I take it as a sign to close the door behind me.

Zwei follows me around, and I decide to follow Ruby’s example and start getting into a more comfortable outfit before going to sleep. I leave my combat skirt on my bed, as well as my jacket, after I grab my nightwear from my white feed bag. I get dressed facing away from Ruby and she does the same. Ruby might have insisted years ago that we could bath together after being in the woods for two days, something innocent considering she was talking about a lake, but after a small discussion, we established a privacy policy per my request and Ruby agreed to it.

I might feel more comfortable now about sharing a room with her, but I shouldn’t be thinking about these things. So I put my clothes on the desk by Ruby’s bed once I make sure she’s done changing. I then place Myrteneaster by my bed. I proceed to untie my side ponytail before getting into bed.

Ruby whispers sweet nothings to her scythe, as usual, and I roll my eyes. She does this every time before going to bed. Then she places Crescent Rose next to her bed and hops under the covers. It’s not long before she turns to her side to look at me, and I roll over on my bed to do the same. The nightstand is the only piece of furniture between our beds.

“We’ll leave first thing in the morning, and we can ask Zwei to keep watch over our camp tomorrow night,” Ruby says with a small smile.

I smile back at her. “Thank you, Ruby.”

“Any time, partner.”

She turns around soon after that and falls asleep. She makes it look so easy, I can’t help but wish to have the same state of mind as her. Instead, I can’t seem to fall asleep and I find myself staring at the ceiling after a couple of minutes. When dark thoughts begin to form again, and I see scenarios unfold on the ceiling, I roll over again to look at Ruby, only to find Zwei sitting between our beds.

“What is it?” I ask him in a hushed tone, not wanting to wake Ruby up. He usually falls asleep just as easily as his owner, so his attitude catches me by surprise.

Zwei moves forward and places a paw on my covers.

I don’t quite understand what he’s trying to say, and he seems to notice it, so he leans forward and rests his snout next to his paw. Pleading grey eyes stare at me.

_Oh! Oh, he’s the sweetest._

I smile at him, befuddled by his kindness. “Okay, but promise you won’t move too much, deal?”

He places his other paw on my bed and I lift the covers. He quickly hops into bed and snuggles close to me. I place my arm around him as I put the covers back down. He’s so warm and soft, I feel truly blessed by this cute puppy.

“Thank you,” I whisper softly to him and he rests his head on the mattress next to my chest.

I fall asleep shortly after.

  
  
—  


I can’t say that I feel well rested, specially since Ruby does as promised and wakes me up as soon as the Sun starts rising so we can leave. Zwei hops off the bed and inspects the bedroom before Ruby and I get dressed. She makes a comment about how cute we looked together even if Zwei was already awake. All I can think about is that piña colada. The image of the drink left alone on a lonely bar table is burned into my memory and takes over all my thoughts.

Nonetheless, I make sure that Ruby isn’t forgetting any of her belongings after we both equip our weapons. All the information we’ve gathered about our current quest is neatly organized in Ruby’s bag, and even if I already made sure of that, I make her double-check before we leave the room.

After paying for our brief stay to that aggressive looking bull faunus, the owner, Ruby grabs a map and opens it to take a look. Although I’ve told her countless of times to prepare a proper route beforehand, she still prefers to pick our stops and resting places the same day we resume our endless journey.

“I was thinking, since we’ve been going South from Vale, we could go to Shion and maybe Higanbana afterwards,” she announces happily.

I’m not sure of the exact location of either village, but from what I’ve gathered from a merchant, Higanbana could be quite charming.

“Seems fair enough, as long as you don’t make me climb mountains with my heels on, there will be no issue on my part.”

Ruby giggles as she continues perusing the map, compass in hand, probably to see if she can actually make me climb mountains at some point. She has expressed her desire to go mountain climbing before, but I always refused to join her.

While she’s busy, I observe as Zwei hops around and begins to sniff ahead of the trail. We’re making our way out of the town after all, and it doesn’t seem out of character for the corgi to investigate the woods we’re about to enter, but then Zwei does something that takes me by surprise this early in the journey: he starts barking and rushes into the woods, getting lost among some bushes.

“Zwei? Zwei!” I call out for him, but receive no answer as we continue walking towards the place the dog was last seen.

“Huh?” Ruby looks up from the map and turns to me. “Where did Zwei go?”

I sigh and walk ahead of her, trying to figure out where Zwei went. As we go deeper into the woods I start to worry, since it’s unusual of him. Besides, he had barked before disappearing into the trees and bushes. _What if I wasn’t wrong after all?_

I grab Myrteneaster and unsheath it, making sure I’m prepared before I call out Zwei’s name again.

Ruby seems to notice my change in attitude and she puts the map away, unfolds Crescent Rose, and takes a step forward. After exchanging a glance with me, we both nod and begin moving forward more carefully than until now, making sure we scan our surroundings properly.

Everything is quiet except for our feet stepping on some dry leaves and a couple of sticks. Once we’re several feet into the woods, we both hear small barks. Ruby and I look at each other again before launching forward, both of us taking our usual positions when ambushing an enemy. She positions herself in front of me, and I’m ready with Myrteneaster at hand to produce any type of glyphs she might need when attacking our enemy.

I’d usually start with a paralyzing glyph to make sure Ruby’s first attacks hit consistently, before getting into the fight myself while she takes a step back to use Crescent Rose’s sniper functions. That strategy usually works, and in any case, I have my summons if the Alsius army happens to have more soldiers dispatched in the area.

Just as we get closer to the place where Zwei might be, we hear the distinctive sound of laughter. I can only describe it as warm and sweet as honey, and I try to place the familiar tone of the owner. Ruby just disappears and leaves behind a swarm of petals. _We’ve talked this over, you dolt!_

“Ruby!” I go after her, forgetting about my stance, and run into several bushes.

My mind starts wandering into every place it went yesterday and I feel my throat closing up again. But the sound of laughter is what catches me off guard and makes me go over every dark scenario again.

When I find Ruby, she has stopped using her Semblance and she’s jumping onto someone with open arms, shouting, “YANG!”

I’m shocked to see the buxom blonde smiling at her younger sister with a cheerful corgi in her arms. Yang lets go of Zwei to catch Ruby just in time, then swings her sister around as they hug. The older sibling's laughter, the one we heard before, is joined by that of the younger sibling, like a beautiful melody.

Suddenly I feel out of place, stuck in the middle of a family reunion, uninvited. For a moment, I feel a flow of envy and jealousy run through my body as I watch the scene, then I’m reminded of the loneliness of the path I’ve chosen and the image of my own sister haunts me. I sheath Myrteneaster back, seeing as there’s no use for it at the moment.

“Look at you, pipsqueak, you’ve gotten taller.” Yang puts Ruby down and places a hand on top of her head, looking at her up and down. She then ruffles Ruby’s hair in a playful manner. She’s right: Ruby has been taller than me for a while now.

“Hey! Only Uncle Qrow calls me that!” Ruby pretends to be angry but quickly smiles at her sister. “It has been so long! Dad wouldn’t tell me when you were coming back!”

Yang chuckles and shrugs, raising both of her arms, exposing her palms. “What can I say? I’m a busy woman. I’m sorry I kept you waitin’ this long.”

“Three years, Yang! I’m older than you were when you left!” Ruby exclaims.

“You’re still a kid.” Yang puts her hand on Ruby’s face and turns to me. “Hey princess, nice hairstyle.”

I look at her confused, until I realize she’s referring to my ponytail, once centered, now to the side. I’m not quite sure why she has decided to mention that; perhaps I don’t find it as interesting since I’ve been styling my hair like this for three years.

I could counter with a compliment as well—after all, Yang has changed her style since I’ve last seen her. She has long left behind her portrait neck orange shirt in favour of a yellow top, which offers a less than modest view of her breasts ( _focus, Weiss_ ) and an orange scarf. She doesn’t have that old brown cotton jacket with the spiky neck anymore, instead she wears a more stylish bomber jacket of the same color with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of dark brown arm warmers, and a pair of very short shorts. _Focus, Weiss_.

“It’s nice to see you again too, Yang,” I say, unable to focus on a single thing as Ruby makes childish noises, her sister’s hand still on her face. “When did you get here? How did you find us?”

“Oh yeah.” Yang leaves Ruby alone, and her little sister gasps victoriously. “I’m sorry you didn’t like piña colada, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You were the one who bought Weiss a drink?” Ruby asks surprised.

_It was Yang. That stupid and horrendous drink was nothing but Yang trying to tease me or hit on me, and I had gotten so worried I thought my family was out in Sanus to get me. Ruby was right, it was some silly coincidence, and I wasted my energy on something like that._

“I took her for a fruity kinda gal,” Yang smirks and I glare at her.

_All those hours thinking my past had come back to hunt me down and end the little I had managed to build in the last three years. Losing my breath, being unable to sleep, and feeling on edge all because this buffoon thought she was being funny!_

Yang laughs and says, “Okay, second try: you’re a wine person and I’ve made a very _pour_ decision.”

Ruby and I both groan in unison. _She’s unbelievable._

“Yes, I enjoy drinking wine. You still haven’t answered one of my questions,” I point out, and cross my arms over my chest. She appears to understand that I’m not exactly in the mood for jokes.

“It’s a long story, mind if I invite you over for some breakfast?” She asks as a raven comes down from the trees and stands on her right shoulder. She greets the bird with a smile, which utterly confuses me.

I’m about to comment on it when the noise of someone’s stomach rumbling catches everyone’s attention. Yang, the raven, Zwei and I turn to Ruby, who offers a sheepish smile in exchange.

“So… Breakfast?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another detail you might have notice about this timeline: Weiss doesn't change her hairstyle before leaving Atlas. In this version, she didn't get to rebel little by little, you'll get that in a couple of chapters.


	6. The Elusive One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look, it's the plot.
> 
> Huge thanks to Janna (http://gurrenlasagna.tumblr.com) for beta reading this fic, and to my bae (http://jungkooklikesboys.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

**** “So, I wake up feeling sore as he—heck,” I correct myself, because I feel like Weiss is the type of person who will point out a curse word if someone uses it. “I’m in a tent all patched up and I think ‘wow, Raven beat me up, but at least she was kind enough to make sure I was okay’. Little did I know that as soon as I left the tent, I’d see a makeshift pit with burnt wood and ash, and Alden looking at me. Everyone was gone!”

“Are you implying the whole tribe left you behind the very next day after you arrived?” Weiss cocks an eyebrow. She’s been the only one to comment on everything I’ve shared so far.

Ruby, on the other hand, is slurping a strawberry milkshake next to the princess. She’s resting her elbows on the table, her face between her hands, as she listens to me intently. She looks so cute with that small twisted ponytail she has managed to gather her not-so-short hair into. My sister has let her locks grow a little longer than when I last saw her, and I’m not certain she was the one who braided her locks into that place.

“Nah, not just that, because as soon as the bird knows I’m lookin’ at him, he just flies the fudge away.” I gesture with my hand. “They didn’t just leave me behind, they left a freakin’ bird to guide me gosh knows where! I had just woken up, I was feelin’ like garbage, and I had no idea where in all Sanus I was or when the tribe had left the resting place! I just knew Alden was my one-way ticket to food.”

“Alden?” Weiss asks.

“Oh, he’s the bird that’s been followin’ me around,” I say and point to Alden. He is looking at me through one of the windows of this small restaurant Ruby picked for us. He doesn’t really like closed spaces, but even if he did, he wouldn’t be allowed in. The owner and the waiter made that clear as soon as they saw us coming in with him and Zwei. “Raven had named him Brennus, but he looked more like an Alden to me.”

The restaurant also doesn’t allow faunus in. It kind of rubs me the wrong way, but there’s no time to pick fights with idiots.

Weiss’s brows furrow, and I’m not sure why.

After I finish my pink lemonade, I continue: “I grabbed my bag and started runnin’ after Alden as fast as I could and, mind you, I didn’t even know his name, so I was just yellin’ out curses as I tried to figure out where he was tryin’ to lead me. So I ended up going through some mountains, almost fell off a cliff, burned my forearms while trying to hold onto a ledge, and got bit by at least 100 different types of bugs in just a couple of hours—and I didn’t, like, find the camp for 13 hours. I thought I was done for sure when I saw some smoke. Smoke means fire, which means people. It was dark as heck when I finally got there, and guess what?”

“What?” Weiss decides to humor me.

“Raven tells me that, since I hadn’t packed the tent they had lent me and the other stuff, I had lost the tribe’s property and wouldn’t be allowed to have dinner.”

Weiss shakes her head and just takes a sip of her coffee. Even if she was the one who interjected the most, she shifts uncomfortably on her chair and leans back against it: a clear sign of taking distance from the situation. I have to thank Raven for my body language reading abilities; the three years of training under her were paying off.

“Why didn’t you use Ember Celica? You could’ve found the tribe from the skies sooner, or not fallen off a cliff!” Ruby comments while stuffing her mouth with a cookie.

"Ruby, eat, then speak. Or speak, and then eat,” Weiss scolds her and gives her a disappointed look. From the way she speaks to my sister, and how Ruby responds by simply turning and offering a shy smile, I can tell this isn’t the first time this has happened.

_ Weiss is totally the person who would scold someone for cursin’. _

I chuckle. “I didn’t have Ember Celica with me, Raven had taken my gauntlets the night before.”

“Did you have any Dust with you, at least?” Weiss inquires, hints of worry in her tone.

“Nope.”

“Uh… some other weapon, like a knife or…?” Ruby begins to ask.

“Nope. I only had a duffle bag with a change of clothes, the clothes I had on, and the worst back pain imaginable.” I shrug.

“But what about the Grimm? Wasn’t your mom worried you’d get eaten by some Beowolf or a Nevermore?” Ruby finishes her cookies, and this time Weiss doesn’t scold her for talking with her mouth full. Probably because she’s staring at me, outraged by the information I was providing.

I simply shrug again.

Ruby is about to comment on it when Weiss interrupts her. “So, from what I’ve gathered, you mean to tell us that during those three years, you endured some sort of physical abuse just for the sake of it?”

Ruby’s eyes dart from Weiss to me, expecting an answer.

“Hey, I was being trained, and it wasn’t just for the thrills. I had to get stronger to help you guys and to do a better job as a huntress,” I reply.

“But you did help us already! You two saved my life back then!”

“Yeah, but like, those Grimm almost kicked my butt and we could've done much better.” Even before I finish speaking, I know that Weiss is not happy with my answer. “Look, I know it wasn’t the  _ Weiss _ -est decision, but I needed that, okay? I want to make sure what happened that day doesn’t happen again.”

None of them groan at my pun. In fact, Weiss doesn’t tear her gaze away from mine. I’m not sure if she's analyzing my choice of words or if she’s thinking about some retort to throw my way. Strangely enough, Ruby doesn’t seem to be feeling as troubled as her, and she places a hand on Weiss to calm her down.

“It’s okay. Hey, now we’re gonna have an extra hand to help us with our missions,” Ruby tells Weiss and then turns to me. “I hope your training actually pays off, ‘cause we’re on the hunt for some baddies.”

“Ruby… He’s a mafia member, don’t refer to him as a  _ baddie _ ,” Weiss says, and places a hand on her face, embarrassed by my sister’s words.

“Oh, what’s that about?” I lean forward, resting my elbows on the table.

Ruby grins and takes a crumpled piece of paper from one of the pouches on her belt. “We’re looking for someone!”

She holds out a piece of paper with a drawing of a stick figure smoking a cigar with a silly hat on. To be entirely honest, I’m not sure what it means. Weiss scolds my sister again for speaking so loudly about an investigation they are carrying.

“Who’s that?” I steal the doodle from my sister and inspect it a little bit closer. I hold in a laugh,  _ this is so Ruby’s drawing _

“The person who’s behind the many robberies against merchants all around the area. We’ve also gathered information from some shops that claimed to have seen the same man or that describe a group of people following the very same modus operandi as the one described by the merchants,” Weiss says proudly, lowering her voice. “He’s a mafia leader, and we’ve managed to get several descriptions of his appearance in order to provide any possible eye witness with a reference, so we can gather more information about him.”

“Although we know several towns and routes have been hit, we can’t seem to get a lead to where he’s hiding or what he’s doing,” Ruby pouted.

_ Maybe the eye witnesses can’t do much with a stick figure, Rubes. I know you tried, I’m proud of you. _

“We know he has to operate somewhere near Vale, since most of the merchant routes that have been hit lead there. However, we’ve also managed to pinpoint several other places south of Vale. The last hit was close to this town. We were thinking about taking a closer look before heading East, in case the trail got cold.”

I bring one of my hands to my chin and try to remember every merchant the tribe had run into. The problem with that is that Raven’s people were often the bad guys doing the blackmailing. Instead of coming up with a name, I get a better idea: a way to gather information from other sources.

“Ruby, give me a pencil and some paper.” I put her drawing down and wait for her to do as I say. She quickly grabs the things from her bag and hands them to me. “Okay, tell me what the witnesses have told you about the guy so far.”

Weiss looks at me confused, and her mouth hangs open as she tries to find the right words. My sister, on the other hand, beams with delight.

“Oh, orange hair, short like a bob cut with some bangs covering his right eye. People said it looks nice,” Ruby points out. “He has deep set dark eyes, and uses a lot of eyeliner on his left one.”

I begin to scribble down based on what Ruby’s describing. “Give me a head shape.”

“He has a triangular chin, high cheekbones.” Weiss seems to realize what I’m doing and leans closer. “He’s got masculine features, but his hard-angled eyebrows are plucked.”

My hand moves swiftly over the paper, the pencil steady between my fingers, as I make sure to translate everything they are telling me onto the paper. I’m unable to give some features the color that Ruby mentioned, and I do what I can with the shadows. I want to add some lighter areas, but then I realize I don’t have an eraser with me.

Weiss takes a moment to think before she adds, “A straight nose with round nostrils and thin lips.”

Ruby cocks her head to the side. She then decides to leave and move behind me, leaning over my shoulder. She adds, “All he’s missing is his rounded hat.”

“It’s called a bowler, Ruby,” Weiss corrects her, and refrains from adding any more information. Instead, she decides to adjust her chair and move closer to me to get a better look at my drawing. I know it isn’t my best work, but I’m still moved when I hear her gasp.

I smile, proud of having accomplished that.

“I’m not going to draw the hat on him, I’m sure you can recognize this dude without it.” I dust off the drawing and leave the pencil aside to take a good look at the end result. I somehow made his eyes look so great and piercing, they draw a person’s attention just the right way, and that’s when it clicks. “I know this guy!”

“What?” Ruby and Weiss ask at the same time.

“He’s a merchant called Roman, some of Raven’s men made deals with him.”

“Why would a merchant steal from other merchants?” Ruby frowns in confusion.

“To get rid of the competition, Ruby. The intent behind the crime doesn’t change the fact that he has broken the law,” Weiss interjects and sighs in frustration before turning to me again. “Some of your mother’s men exchanged goods with him?”

“They used to, until some of his lackeys had a run-in with a couple of tribe members at a bar. He came down to make sure everyone chilled the fudge out.” I hold the drawing at an arm's length. “He was very charismatic, but kind of a d—a jerk, if you ask me. He still managed to break up the small fight though, and left. I think his full name is Roman Torchwick.”

My sister and her partner glance at each other. I see Ruby’s eyes light up.

“Where did you see him?” Weiss inquires.

“He was by Sanus' East coast, I think he talked about some shipments coming from Mistral.” I put the drawing down. “But I don’t think he’s there anymore. That was like three months ago, and after what you said, I think he has more than one method of transportation to get across Sanus this fast.”

“We could go East anyway, to see if some of his men are still around,” Ruby proposes. “We really haven’t got any other leads, and we were heading out anyways.”

“Yeah, but didn’t something bring you guys out here?”

“I do agree with Yang. However, if we remain here and Torchwick continues to move, his trail might run cold and we will be risking future developments.” Weiss crosses her arms and grabs her chin with her left index finger and thumb.

“We can stay here for one day and gather information with the new portrait, maybe we’ll have better luck this time,” Ruby picks up my drawing. “I should learn to do this someday.”

Asking people around with some handmade drawing might not be the best option. After following some of Raven’s people, I learned many things about body language. When locals know you are a traveler, no matter how innocent you look, they might not want to cooperate. Maybe it's my looks or my charm, or maybe the fact that I clearly don’t look like a bandit, but I personally have never had any problems getting information from people. However, whenever I was seen around other members of the tribe, people decided I was not to be trusted. If Torchwick is indeed part of a mafia, which he likely is, then people that know him might not want to give information about him when asked directly.

“Hey, Yang, do you think you could teach me to draw?” Ruby’s question derails my train of thought.

“I did try to teach you when we were younger. Maybe now I’ll have better luck.” I smile at her.

“Anyway,” Weiss clears her throat and grabs our attention. “If we are going to stay around, we better look at the watchmen board. We may find some small deliveries or quests to keep us entertained while we gather some new pointers.”

_ Weiss, you’re a genius!!! _

“I’ve got a better idea!” I steal the drawing from my sister’s hands and take the pencil from the table, and quickly grab some lien from one of my belt pouches to pay for breakfast. “Follow me!”

As soon as we leave the small restaurant, Zwei jogs our way happily and starts following me. Weiss demands to know where I’m going, and I just continue walking with a very specific place in mind. Alden flies close to us, making turns every once in a while since he’s figuring out where the hell I am going.

Next to the nightwatch building, there is a big wooden board filled with paper pieces and old photos. People are looking at it. Some of them mercenaries, others citizens searching for new information, and finally the watchmen figuring out what task to carry out next. I elbow my way through and take a free pin from the board. I then pin my drawing to it and write something at the bottom of the paper, successfully turning it into a discreet ‘Wanted’ poster.

When I escape from the mob, I see Weiss and Ruby staring at me. One of them baffled, the other one curious. It’s not hard to know which is which.

“So we’re going to put his face up on the board for everyone to see? That’s not the same as getting information.” Weiss crosses her arms over her chest.

Alden lands on my right shoulder and makes himself comfortable. I say, “Actually, I took that under consideration. I didn’t give him the hat and only wrote Roman under his face. He looks less like a thug and more like a normal citizen who got lost. We’re gonna help the people from the town, and tell the man at the inn you stayed in to take note of whoever comes by asking about our poster. That way we’re not wastin’ time by talkin’ to every single person here, not intimidatin’ any possible witnesses, and doin’ somethin’ productive.”

Weiss huffs.

“I think this is a great idea. If we don’t get any info by tomorrow, we can take the poster and continue our way East,” Ruby agrees with me, so we both turn to Weiss.

“Fine, but I think we should have a copy of the drawing just in case we find some merchant while we take other missions that involve the woods,” Weiss complies.

Ruby and I just nod in agreement, and I let her go back to the board to pick any request she finds interesting. Meanwhile, since Weiss doesn’t seem like a people person, I decide to go into the inn Ruby and Weiss stayed in to ask for a small favour. If we are lucky, we’ll have a lead by tomorrow.

 


	7. Hidden truths and pretty liars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay guys, busy days turned into busy weeks.
> 
> Huge thanks to Janna (http://gurrenlasagna.tumblr.com) for beta reading this fic, and to my bae (http://jungkooklikesboys.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

_Having trouble keeping track of which foot comes after the other is never a good sign, I know I’m fucked when I realize that. Suddenly, I become too self-aware of every breath I take. My lungs burn, and I know the only way to stop it is to stop breathing altogether. Time has long become something impossible to keep track of, but I’m certain that I have been running nonstop for at least a week at this point._

_“Wait!” I cry before I trip with some bushes and land on a trunk. I use the tree to stand up properly and gather some information of my surroundings, searching for black feathers. To my luck, I manage to spot a pair of black wings fluttering several feet away from me._

_I curse under my breath for having made such a rushed decision days ago, when I chose to leave my home and venture into the woods to follow a bird that appears to have no limits whatsoever. At some point, when I had the fortune of setting up a poor excuse for a camp to have dinner, it astounded me that the thought should gain such traction. After all, this is what I was promised... sort of. She never explicitly said she was going to train me, but that was the only answer I could come up with for all of this._

_I trip with some fucking branches again. Great, I’ve scratched my knees like a kid, but this time I successfully keep my eyes on my mom’s and continue pushing forward. Ever since she made an appearance at home, she hasn’t done it ever again. She ordered me to follow her pet who knows where with the vague promise of something._

_The raven won’t let me rest properly. It won’t give me enough time to hunt for some food. I’ve been stuck  with berries that I was lucky enough to recognize thanks to the survival lessons dad and Qrow gave Ruby and me a couple of years ago._

I miss Ruby.

I— I miss dad.

_I’m feeling like shit for leaving like that, but it’s too late at this point._

_With a diet based on small fruits and whatever other vegetables I can find, I can barely keep up with the raven. I’m not sure if putting me in this place was my mom’s idea to begin with. Still, I can't do anything about it. The bird won't give me enough time to roast or boil anything. I’m lucky if it lets me sleep five hours before it starts cawing._

_As I continue running behind the bird, which seems to stop every mile to wait for me at a tree, I realize how tired I really am. At least it’s aware that I’m certainly unable to keep up with her rhythm after I got lost two days before. I still don’t understand why it won’t let me rest aside from when I sleep. I even had to eat while I was running, which is awful, let me tell you. My stomach keeps turning and my body itches because of all the times I have fallen, and all the leaves and sticks that brush against my skin as I maneuver my way through the forest._

_I have promised myself that if I ever feel like giving up, I’ll activate my Semblance to power through whatever I have to go through. I just refuse to be left behind again. My mom is giving me a chance, and I’m not going to let it go to waste._

_Just as I remind myself that I should continue to push through, my breathing becomes labored again and my sight loses focus. I turn my hands into fists, feeling my nails dig into my palms. “Hey, wait!”_

_Maybe the raven can hold on for a few seconds, I just want to catch my breath for once. I force myself to blink, hard, to at least clear my thoughts. The problem is that as soon as I open my eyes I find no feathers, no distinct fluttering sound to tell me where the bird has gone. “Bird? Mom?”_

_Maybe if I call for my mother it will communicate it to her or something. I don’t know how this works. I continue moving forward, despite my body urging me to do the opposite, looking around for any sign that will reveal her location. “Mom?”_

_I push through a couple of bushes, finally arriving at the first trade route in days. This means I’m close to somewhere. The mere thought of a warm bed already makes me feel all tingly. My mind is quick enough to remind me of those other things inns offer: food, lights, maybe a fireplace, and four walls that will protect me from the wind._

_“Mom!” I cry out loud, hoping that she replies at least once._

_I breathe heavily, failing to regain my composure as the sun burns my skin (I’m so looking forward to gaining a hundred new freckles from this). Still no sign of my mother. I turn right, then left, and that’s when I see a wooden post with some signs attached to it several feet away from me. I’m not certain anymore, but there seems to be something black on top of it. “Mom?”_

_I push myself to go forward again, awkwardly putting a foot in front of the other. I feel like I have forgotten how to walk properly after all of that. If someone saw me right now, covered in sweat from head to toe, clothes messy, duffle bag muddy, and with who knows how many sticks and leaves in my hair (I don’t even want to think about it), they’d take me for a deranged person, a mugger, anything but a 15-year-old huntress._

_The bifurcation of the road is signalled by a small wooden post that clearly has seen better days. The sign to the right is broken—who knows where that path leads—whereas the other is crossed out, the original town name unreadable to me in this state of exhaustion. The black spot on top of the wooden post becomes more defined. There it is, on top of a road sign, ignoring my pleas again: the fucking raven._

_I let myself fall to my knees. If this is a sign that it will let me rest for at least five minutes, I’m going to take it. No questions asked, not anymore. I’m done trying to get her to communicate with me. I’m too tired to argue, and my mouth will run dry soon since I haven’t been drinking enough water._

_That gives me an idea. I open my duffle bag and pull the small bottle from it; it barely has any water. Still, I take a sip, just to feel something refreshing slide through my throat._

_“CAW.”_

_The raven calls my attention once more, and I gather all of my strength to turn my head towards it. The bird is looking in the direction indicated by the crossed-out sign. It clearly wants me to go that way, so I sigh and put my bottle inside the bag again. Sleep is calling for me pretty hard, but with the courage I have left, I stand up again._

_I restrain myself from cursing in front of the bird, even though I’ve been cursing under my breath for the past week. Maybe I just want to show the raven that I can handle it should Raven be able to communicate with it or something._

_I begin to follow the path, looking back at the bird. It still hasn’t moved from the post, but somehow I know I’m heading in the right direction anyway. For the first time in days I have some indication of where I’m  going, a clear path to follow, and I’m being allowed to walk. Just with those tiny things I feel rested. The feeling, however, doesn’t last that long. After ten minutes of walking in what I think is the right direction, I find myself staring at the same sign again. The raven is even there, it hasn’t moved an inch. I frown and continue going in the same direction again._

_When I meet the sign for the third time in a row, I sigh. I can’t possibly be walking in circles; that would make no sense. Going straight to the left isn’t the same as turning. Whatever. This time, just to prove to myself that I’m hallucinating or something, I turn right._

_It doesn’t take long for me to notice some leaves rustling around me. My first thought is: an animal; the second: a Grimm. That on itself is a bad sign, a clear indicator of my hunger. I have indeed encountered Grimm in the last few days, but_ _Ember Celica isn’t as eager to face them as always. Maybe it’s because I’m too tired to care or to enjoy the workout like I used to. I become aware of the possible dangers of the sound of rustling leaves after I give it a second thought. My instincts are failing me._

_Funnily enough, it isn’t an animal or a Grimm. Someone shots at me from behind the bushes and I’m conscious enough to evade it. I stand back and activate my gauntlets, thanking my reflexes. I know I’m in no shape to fight, but my aura reserve is full and my Semblance is ready to be used._

_For the first time in forever I wait for the enemy to make the next move, and they do. A man comes out of his hiding spot and begins fighting me in a hand to hand combat. A sword perfectly sheathed on his hip is left alone for the first minutes. It isn’t until he realizes that I am able to block each punch and kick that he decides to use his weapon._

_He is in his thirties, from what I can tell. He has long black hair and an unshaven two-day beard. His clothes aren’t ripped; in fact, he has enough red and black armor to indicate that he’s used to fighting. This is no regular mugger._

_When his sword clashes against my gauntlets, I begin to wonder what he’s after. I clearly had been lost in the woods for days, not having anything of value on my person aside from Ember Celica. I drop my duffle bag on the ground as I evade a hit, to see if he will go for it, but he doesn’t._

_He starts to pick up his pace and I begin having trouble keeping up with him. I start evading some of his hits, others land, but like I said before: my Semblance is ready to be used. This is going to fuel it._

_A cocky grin forms on his face, and without previous notice, a second man joins the fight. He has a large handgun and all kinds of ammunition strapped to his chest. He has short, spiky hair held in place by a bandana. He wears a muddled green vest, perfect for camouflaging in between bushes and trees._

_When both finally team up, that’s when I start getting in trouble. One uses his sword to move my arms as he pleases, hitting my biceps and my gauntlets with the blade and the back of the weapon to displace them. I’m then unable to block the second man’s hits and kicks. I’m not sure if they had been waiting for me, but I’m their target now and they want me out cold._

_When the first man with the long ponytail finally pushes me back with a strong blow of his sword to my stomach, I fall back. Then I get kicked by the second man and fall to the floor. Any other day this would have meant nothing; now, I’m too weak to handle it._

_None of them laugh or comment on my state, it’s like they are waiting for me to stand up again, and I do. My Semblance is charged, my body begins to ooze heat. My sweat begins to evaporate from my skin. None of them reacts as I open my eyes, now red. They have no idea of what this means. I stare at them with the fury of a woman who has been fighting nature for the past 10 days._

_Still, they put their weapons away, which pisses me off even more._

_When I feel ready to launch myself forward and punch one of them square in the jaw, I feel a strong blow to the back of my neck. My aura instantly breaks and I feel my Semblance disappear even faster than it took me to invoke it. I fall to the floor, face front. The taste of dirt in my mouth and the smell of sweat mixed with soil is overwhelming when paired up with all the pain I feel._

_“You were in the same situation less than two weeks ago and you didn’t even bother changing your strategy,” a familiar voice captures my attention. I lift my head and spit out some dirt, forcing my eyes open to see the owner of the voice._

_A woman moves next to the two men who attacked me. Her skin is dark, and her green hair is tied in two ponytails. She’s not the owner of the voice, she’s too young._

_That’s when I hear steps next to me, and I find the two black boots responsible for the noise. I follow them as my mom speaks. “I expected you to have learned from that experience, but it seems that you are stubborn.”_

_She’s wearing the same armor she was wearing the first time I ever saw her back home. Her belt, half undone on her hip, holds her strange rotary sheath in place. But what my eyes focus on is the smirk directed at me, clearly mocking me. I feel hurt somehow, just by the way she is looking at me, like I have been entertaining her in some way._

_“From now on, you will not be using your Semblance anymore,” my mother speaks, and as she does, a raven sits on her right shoulder, staring at me. The one I had been following—no,_ chasing _—for the last week and a half. The one that dragged me all the way to who knows where to get my ass beat. This bird that I pointlessly yelled at betrayed me._

_I feel so stupid, so alone. I’m not sure if my mother is speaking again. My eyelids feel too heavy and I just give in._

 

* * *

 

I blink and stare at the ceiling, now laying awake on my bed. A cold breeze of fresh air greets me, and I turn to acknowledge the window I left open before getting to bed. The covers are on the floor, a recurring thing whenever I sleep: I push them away since I’m unable to have full control of my Semblance when unconscious. Luckily I’m not sweating. Funny enough, when I’m sick, I get a fever not because of the cold but because of my own lack of control of my Semblance when I’m weak.

I blink away any thoughts of the memories relating to my first meeting with the bandit tribe and I sit up on the creaky inn bed. I stare at my wrists: just as I expected, I put Ember Celica on as soon as something disturbed my sleep. At this point it’s a reflex, I don’t even think about it. I look at my surroundings, realizing I’m not in danger. _What woke me up?_

_Ah, someone knocked on the door._

I stretch and leave the bed. If someone wants to politely wake me up in the middle of the night, it clearly isn’t someone who wants to fight. It’d also be strange to find someone else but my companions at my door, since I’ve made no noise to disturb the neighbors. Hence, I rapidly reach the conclusion that opening the door in my pajamas (a tank top and some shorts) isn’t out of place since the one behind it is probably Ruby, who I’ve previously shared a bedroom with, or Weiss.

I open the door and find no other than Weiss, hand held up in a fist. She probably was about to knock again before I made my appearance. She’s staring at me with her jaw hanging open, a pink flush on her cheeks. It doesn’t last long since she seems to notice it and quickly closes her mouth. She takes a small step back and straightens her clothes to try to divert my attention.

In fact, I had not paid that much attention to her clothes the day before, but now that I’m seeing her pajamas, I notice a pattern. When Ruby and I met her, what gave away her origin was the blue and white hues of her attire, a clear sign of Mantle fashion. Now, perhaps in an attempt to blend in, she has incorporated some black and red. Her jacket, skirt, and top, while still fancy and delicate,  matched Ruby’s outfit better. Weiss could pass for a Valen who hadn’t seen that much sunlight. Her nightgown followed the same pattern, the silk white and long, with the details and engines in red.

“Hi Weiss, what has brought you to my door in this cold, lonely night? In seek of some good company?” I smile at her, trying to keep the tease at a minimum since it’s the second time Weiss has stared at my boobs.

She glares at me, crossing her arms over her chest, puffing her cheeks up in a very Weiss manner. “I need to have a word with you.”

I nod and move to the side, allowing her to enter my room. I’m not entirely sure what she wants to discuss, but by the way she stares awkwardly at the lonely bed in the small room, I can tell she feels uncomfortable.

I close the door behind me and decide to open the drapes to let more moonlight in before sitting on the bed, patting the side next to me in a small attempt to make Weiss understand that she can make herself comfortable. I’m just a girl in her pajamas in a messy bedroom, there’s nothing to be scared of. Still, Weiss doesn’t move and keeps starin at me a couple of feet away from the bed.

She uncrosses her arms before speaking. “Why did you leave your father and Ruby behind?”

I blink at her, surprised by the question. “I decided to go train to get better.” The answer comes quickly, since I had explained myself before when both she and my sister shared breakfast with me.

“Why did you leave _Ruby_ behind?” She directs an icy glare at me.

Then it dawns on me, as clear as her beautiful baby blue eyes. I understand what she means. She doesn’t want a simple explanation, an excuse—she is angry at me. She doesn’t care what I have been doing these past three years, she wants to know _why_. The last time she saw me, I had grabbed some clothes and my duffle bag, and left a crumpled note on my bed without saying a word to my sister or my dad.

This isn’t about her, this is about Ruby. Those slight adjustments she made back when we first met to help Ruby fight had now turned into longing glances, hands on shoulders and pointing out good manners. This wasn’t about her, this was about Ruby. _How could I be so blind?_

I sigh and pat the spot next to me again. “Remember the day we met?”

“The day I decided to get into a shack to find some supplies I could exchange for food, got attacked by a horde of Grimm, and rescued by two foolish girls?” She cocks a brow at me, still keeping her distance.

I nod and say, “Ruby didn’t find me after I had dealt with the Grimm who attacked us. She found me passed out and wounded after I almost died at the hands of seven Beowolves, a Death Stalker, and a Beringel.”

Weiss silently thinks about it for a second, then sits next to me.

“Ruby and I grew up together, both of our parents were huntsmen. A big happy family in the middle of Patch. You’ve met my dad—the old man still takes missions from time to time, still wanting to help people after all these years. Summer was like… Super-Mom: baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters.” I smile, the face of my mom popping into my mind, smiling at me like she always did. She used to teach me how to bake cookies for Ruby and I always wanted to learn how to tell stories just like her.

“One day, she left for a mission and never came back.” I can feel Weiss’s eyes on me, but I’m just staring at the floor, playing with my fingers like a child. “It was awful. Ruby was really torn up, even if she didn’t really get what was going on… and I… I soon found out that she wasn’t my biological mom. Raven left my dad after I was born, and until that point I had never heard anything of her.”

I swallow and continue, “That day, when those Grimm had me cornered, I could only think of Ruby and how she was going to go through that all over again. Every single mistake I made came back, and even if I don’t regret the decision I made back then, Raven saved me. The woman who abandoned me and my dad came to me in a moment of need.”

“Where was she when Ruby found you?” Weiss broke her silence. She had remained quiet up until this point, carefully listening to my story, unlike before when we were at the restaurant.

“She… She left. She has a very particular way to travel around Sanus, and she used her ability to get in there when my life was in danger, and out when I was safe.” I sigh. “You asked me why I left Ruby, and to be honest, I needed answers. Why had the woman who gave birth to me been absent all those years, and why did she come to me when I needed someone the most?” I turn my hands into fists. “And why did my dad refuse to speak about her?”

Weiss didn’t add anything. I just needed a moment to breathe in and out before I continued.

“When I came back home, with you and Rubes, Raven made me an offer: I could go train with her and get answers, or risk to be left in the dark for who knows how long.” I shift my gaze from the floor to Weiss again. “I don’t regret going after Raven, I don’t regret putting my life in danger to save you and Rub, but I do regret leaving the way I did. I was just angry and I let that anger take the better of me.”

Silence takes over once again. There’s a small knot in my throat, and thinking about what happened still makes all sorts of feelings creep up. The argument with my dad comes back, each and every word he and I said ingrained in my memory.

“Thank you.”

Her kind words take me by surprise. She’s smiling. I’ve seen that smile before, back when we first met, so genuine and pretty.

“For sharing this with me,” she adds. “I know that to you I’m a stranger, but this was really important to me.”

“Thank you for taking care of Rubes when I was gone.” I smile back her. “To be honest, I had a good feeling about you since that first day. So when I left, I didn’t really feel I was leaving her alone. You’re not a stranger, Weiss.”

Weiss freezes and opens her mouth to say something, but no words come out. She’s probably thinking about how I could’ve drawn that conclusion. The truth is I just knew she was hurting, and instead of fighting back any accusations, she showed me she was scared. The way she reacted, and how she treated me and my sister with slight annoyance, gave me a hint of who she was.

She then just nods and turns her gaze away, towards the floor, just as I had done before while speaking. We stay in silence for a moment, the cold breeze stroking our backs kindly as we sit there next to each other. Many things are left unsaid, but somehow we both know what those things are.

“Why haven’t you told Ruby that you’re a Schnee?”

Weiss jumps back, the same way she did years ago when I pointed out she wasn’t from Vale. I turn to her, her blue eyes scanning my face in search of something that would give away some ulterior motive to my question.

“How do you possibly know that?” she asks, alarmed. I had been right three years ago: the loose threats on the back of her jackets indicated someone had torn off a sigil, her family crest.

“Raven has a very interestin’ way to find information.” I lean back, resting my palms on the bed. “Aside from havin’ a very special Semblance, and let’s just say that her birds work like her eyes and ears across Remnant, and that she also has many shady contacts. Thanks to her network, she got some info from Atlas.”

“Atlas?”

“Oh, yeah, Alsius was finally chosen to be the kingdom’s capital. It’s been renamed Atlas.”

Weiss looks away and says, “Before I left, I heard the council discussing something along those lines. Mantle is not the stronghold it used to be, it hasn’t been for years. It doesn’t surprise me that they finally made a decision.”

I nod. It’s not like Raven cared to share much info with me, but she was keen on sharing what she had found out about the self-exiled Weiss Schnee, the girl who at one point was the heiress of the most prominent Dust mining company. She had seen me and Ruby meet Weiss before she saved my life. It seemed natural for her to figure out who Weiss was.

“I’m not a Schnee anymore,” she responds, not quite answering my question. “The day I left Alsius, my father took away my title as well as my last name.” She tries as best as she can to not let her anger take control over her, but the sorrow bitterness in her voice is proof of her failure.

She turns to me. “I haven’t told Ruby who I was before because it doesn’t matter. What I said before is true, I left Alsius because I didn’t agree with what they were doing. I didn’t agree with what they wanted me to turn into. I stopped being an heiress the moment I chose to speak my mind, and then there was no place for me there, so I left.”

“Yesterday you were worried, not because you feared the army was after you, but because you thought someone from your family, maybe even your dad, had found you.”

She nods.

“Well, if you ask me, your dad is a dick and deserves to be punched in the face.” I lay back down against the bed. “But he isn’t looking for you, you’re safe here. You don’t have to worry about me saying anything about your story: it’s yours to share, not mine.”

Weiss caresses her scar slightly with the tip of her fingers. We stay silent for a while. I close my eyes and breathe a sigh of relief as I stretch my arms and relax. I’m still not sure why Raven chose to tell me about Weiss’s past. I know every piece of information a Valen can get from other kingdoms is important, due to the tense situation between the kingdoms, but there’s no reason why she should consider information about a dismissed heiress relevant, or why she should even choose to share it with me.

“Raven sounds like a complete cretin.” Weiss finally breaks the silence.

“She’s a pain in the ass.” I chuckle.

“Language.” She sighs, and somehow I can hear her smile.

  
  


The following day, Weiss is too cranky to leave her bed. I’m guessing she’s not a morning person.

Ruby offers to come with me to get some breakfast and then bring some for Weiss. I leave some seeds for Alden by the windowsill, I’m sure he’s going to patrol the area after having breakfast. As we leave the inn to walk around town in search of a nice bakery, we ask the bull faunus at the front desk if anyone has come around for our sign. Unfortunately, no one appears to have any information on Torchwick. Although Ruby seems bummed for a moment, she cheerly leads me into the streets in hopes of finding some freshly baked cookies.

Weiss stays in her room. She had offered my sister and me to share a room, but I didn’t want to disturb their usual sleeping arrangement. They had already rented the two single bedroom the night before, and I could take a smaller room. Also, I snore, and I don’t think Ruby misses that particular aspect of me.

“I saw a bakery with some of those fancy tiny cakes Weiss likes close to the watchmen’s building. Wanna take the drawing back?” Ruby asks me as she looks around, there’s no need for Zwei since she’s acting like an excited puppy looking for some treats.

“Yeah, I don’t think an hour or two will make a difference now.” I shrug and follow her around. I keep my arms back, hands clasped together behind my head. I’m not interested in any sweet in particular, any food sounds good. The idea of breakfast as a whole sounds excellent.

“We could get some cookies for the trip. Oh, and we should buy some salt to conserve meat in case we catch some rabbits or boars,” Ruby suggests. 

“You got somewhere to preserve the meat in the first place? I can do the skinning if you guys want.”

“Weiss bought some weird container from a merchant a couple of days ago, we haven’t been using it since we haven’t struck lucky with the hunting yet,” Ruby pauses. “I thought you hated doing the skinning. You always asked dad to do it for you.”

“Well, you don’t really have the luxury to call somethin’ _icky_ when you’re livin’ with bandits,” I smile at her and she giggles. Ruby used to tease me a lot about that with Qrow.

We’re several feet away from the watchmen's building when I stop looking around for bakeries. It seems that Ruby has made a decision already and we’re on the right track. She keeps inspecting our surroundings anyway, probably hoping to find some sort of chocolate shop by the looks of it.

As I stop paying attention to anything but the dirty street we’re on, I notice the board with quests and other notices surrounded by a small group of people, as usual. Some of them are members of the night watchmen, others seem like regular citizens, and there are a couple of mercenaries with ugly weapons strapped to their backs. I hope Ruby doesn’t notice them, otherwise she’ll be horrified at the atrocious designs.

Among those people, someone stands out: a tall woman with black hair. Her long, beautiful locks end in a few curls and waves, and she’s wearing a black bow on her head. I notice when someone takes care of their hair, seeing as I am the perfect example of it. The fact that she caught my attention with just that is quite intriguing.

As we approach, I notice she has a weapon strapped to her back, but unlike the mercenaries around her, hers looks well designed and probably doubles as a gun. A long black lace is tied to one of its ends. She’s looking at our sign, and something tells me she’s a huntress just like us. She probably can help us and we just got there in time to chat with her.

My eyes somehow land on her pretty and rounded a—

“Yang!” Ruby tugs at one of my sleeves, pulling me with her towards a narrow street to our left. She holds her head high, sniffing intently. “Can you smell that?”

“Uh… I—I guess?” I put up some resistance as Ruby continues to try and drag me away. This isn’t the first time she’s gotten sidetracked because of the smell of fresh baked cookies. At least I think that’s what she’s talking about.

“Come on, we gotta go! I haven’t smelled something this good since the last time I was in Vale! Come on!” Ruby pulls me by my hand in the same direction, but I simply won’t budge.

“Hold on, Rubes. There was someone lookin’ at our drawin’, I want to talk to her.”

Ruby makes puppy eyes at me.

“Aw, come on, the cookies will be there in five minutes.”

“Will they, though?” She places both hands on her hips.

I sigh and plead, “Just one second.”

I walk back the three steps Ruby managed to make me take and look at the small group surrounding the message board. I’m about to walk towards it when I notice the lady is gone, and most importantly, our poster is as well. “Aw, the cute huntress is gone.”

“Welp, I think she left to talk to Weiss.” Ruby shrugs. She quickly grabs my hand and pulls me away. Rose petals flutter around us at the fast motion, but she doesn’t use her Semblance to take me to the mysterious and nice smelling bakery she found with her superior cookie-detecting skills.

  


Ruby ends up buying 24 chocolate chip cookies, two cupcakes for Weiss (one vanilla flavoured and one red velvet), and a bag of donuts for me. I buy the coffee and make sure Ruby has at least 5 teaspoons of sugar and some cream, like she told me. I’m not sure how Weiss deals with so much sugar on her system, but if Weiss can survive, I can too.

Ruby carries all the small bags with care, like a husband carrying bags and boxes for a very stereotypical wife who just went shopping. Unlike the husband though, Ruby is resisting the urge to eat everything inside the bags. She’s looking at the brown bags with star-filled eyes and I find it hilarious. When we get back to the inn, Ruby and I march in ready to head to the rooms for a quick breakfast before heading out back again.

“Girls, someone came looking for you after the notice you placed in the bulletin board.” The faunus at the front desk, who I’m assuming is also the owner of this place, calls us over. He’s a middle-aged man with broad shoulders and a very pleasant deep voice. “I directed her to your bedroom since your partner seemed to still be there.”

“Thanks, Rust.” I nod in acknowledgment, and Ruby just smiles at him before rushing in.

The bull faunus snorts at my sister’s antics and waves us goodbye before resuming his tasks.

I follow Ruby through the long corridor, reminding her that the other guests might still be sleeping. She stops by her and Weiss’s bedroom, a couple of doors away from mine. She attempts to open the door while not letting go of the bags and I stop her before she makes a mess. I offer to open the door instead and she moves to the side and does a small curtsy.

We snicker. The beauty I saw by the bulletin board is probably inside, so we both silently agree to compose ourselves. Ruby does what she can, considering she’s holding six bags in her hands.

Weiss is standing near the big window at the back of the room, fully dressed in her red and white combat skirt, her black belt, a white top, and a red and white jacket. Zwei is sitting next to her. She looks at us, seeming thankful we’re back.

The curtains are pulled to each side of the window, allowing for the sunlight to light up the room. I find a couple, two feet away from Weiss who’s standing by a small desk on top of which lies Weiss’s rapier and some of Ruby’s Dust rounds. They both stare at me and my sister, expecting an introduction. None of them are the pretty lady I saw before we bought our breakfast.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter has the action you guys crave and a beauty that has been foreshadowed.


	8. Infiltration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I kept thinking about Dance Dance Infiltration, but, sadly, there’s no dancing in this chapter.
> 
> Once again, thanks to Janna (http://gurrenlasagna.tumblr.com) for beta reading this fic, and to my bae (http://jungkooklikesboys.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

“Sol, Bruno, I’m pleased to introduce you to my partner, Ruby Rose, and her sister, Yang Xiao Long.” Weiss politely gestures towards us. Although she speaks in a soft tone, implying she’s being welcoming, her eyes are clearly yelling _‘someone take over and deal with the people.’_

“Hi, it’s a pleasure!” Ruby bows slightly before passing between the couple to place our breakfast next to Weiss’s weapon on the desk.

Bruno and Sol bow back at my sister, and I just shoot some finger guns at them. Weiss is probably disappointed at my unceremonious way to interact with possible informants.

They seem young, around their late twenties. Bruno is at least six feet tall, with short brown hair, dark skin and deep blue eyes. His girlfriend, or wife actually (I notice the ring on their left hands), is about five foot three, wearing high heels that make her look taller. She’s blonde with eyes matching those of her partner, and she’s rocking a summer dress like it’s nobody’s business.

If I had to make a guess, I’d say they are from Vale. Sol doesn’t have the telltale Vacuo tan and Bruno’s tucked shirt and formal pants clearly indicate he cares about proper etiquette in some level, not enough to reach Weiss’s Atlas prissiness. He looks attractive and maybe even like a smooth talker.

“Did we get here too late?” asks my sister, awkwardly clasping both hands behind her back. If she did the talking while I wasn’t around, I’m curious to know how an introvert like her dealt with it.

“Oh, not at all,” Sol’s soothing voice reassures her. “We barely told your partner, Weiss, that we found Roman at the forest north of here. You see, my husband and I come to town once every two months to visit my brother and his husband. They adopted a pair of twins early last year, and we want to see our nephews as regularly as possible. I want to be there when they start walking.”

Bruno catches her wife about to go on a tangent and chimes in, “We got sidetracked on our way here and arrived quite late yesterday, so it called our attention to see one of Tukson's old storage buildings being used after he left town several years ago.”

“Tukson is…?” I interject.

“He owns several bookstores around Sanus, mainly in Vale. He had a shop here in town, but sadly he closed down a year after we moved away from Higabana,” Sol narrates. “The shop downtown was sold to a merchant, but the storage rooms north of here have been abandoned for a while.”

“Would you mind pointing to the exact place?” Ruby takes her map out of her bag and opens it on top of her bed.

It seems that Weiss made my sister’s bed with the same care as she did hers. I catch her at the corner of the room, watching my sister work without any objection. I wonder if she takes care of these sorts of things often.

“Around here, I believe,” Bruno points out the location to Ruby. “Roman was there, quite frustrated it seems, talking to some men dressed in suits and red ties.”

“I hope he’s not in trouble, we didn’t know him so we continued our way without looking into it,” Sol adds, bringing her hands to her chest.

Ruby’s about to say something. She cocks her brow and opens her mouth. She probably doesn’t remember I placed the poster on the message board without mentioning he was a mafia member or some sort of criminal for a reason.

I interrupt her before she can say anything, “If he’s been caught up in somethin', we’ll make sure he gets back home safely. We’re glad to know where he is, at least.”

“The men didn’t seem to be at odds with him, I wouldn’t be quick to say he’s in any immediate danger,” Bruno places his hand on Ruby’s shoulder to comfort her.

Ruby pouts, and we exchange glances. I give her an awkward smile, then she speaks. “Did you hear what he was saying or notice anything else?”

“Well, he does seem to have a smoking problem for sure,” Sol points out. I can see Weiss facepalm from the corner of my eye.

“I think someone was expecting some sort of message from an island in two days,” Bruno ignored his wife’s comment. “It’d be safe to assume that he won’t be taken away from the storage, if that’s what you’re wondering. That’s about it.”

Ruby nods. “Well, thank you so much for your information. We’ll make sure Roman makes it home safe and sound.”

“Glad we could be of help.” Bruno nods.

The three thank them again as they leave the room. Sol at some point insists we come by her brother’s house to meet her nephews and have some tea with them. Although we politely reject her offer, since we’re on duty, I have the feeling it’d be hilarious to see Weiss interact with children.

Ruby closes the door and I hand her a very sugary coffee, thankfully still warm, and then give Weiss hers. I scoop my donut out of one of the bags Ruby left on the desk, and I sit on Weiss’s bed. The mattress bounces up and down as I get comfortable on top of it, both hands occupied.

“There’s your lead, ladies,” I say proudly, before taking a bite of the sugary baked good in my hand. It tastes like heaven, even if it’s gone cold by now.

“The one consistent lead we’ve had since we started this investigation,” Weiss points out and takes a sip of her coffee. Ruby opens the bag with the tiny cakes she bought for Weiss and presents them to her.

“We’ve got a location and confirmation that Torchwick won’t leave this town for at least a day.” Ruby grabs some cookies for herself. She walks over to the map.

“We should do a double check on that, the witnesses didn’t spend much time by the storage. For all we know, Torchwick changed his plans as soon as they were gone.” Weiss takes a bite of her pastries. “It doesn’t seem like they were spotted, otherwise they would have been attacked. And yet…”

Ruby hums, still staring at the map. “Yang, how much can you communicate with Alden?”

“I’ve got a bag of pebbles for him. He uses them to tell me how many enemies there are around and where.” I finish my donut and pull the small pouch out of my belt. “He’s almost as smart as Zwei.”

Alden caws from outside the room and all of us turn to him. He’s standing close to the window.

“Okay, just as smart as Zwei.” I smirk at him and pet Zwei, who has left Weiss’s side to approach me. “I often use him to do some scouting.”

Ruby nods. “Then Alden and I will go and check this building out. I’ll try to hear any conversations if someone is around, and check for some entrance points. Alden will count the guards and point at their location.”

“Actually, if they carry out their activities at night, I doubt your report will be as accurate as we need it to be,” Weiss points out. “It seems foolish to expose ourselves if a bird can do the scouting for us. I’d rather you didn’t take that risk unless you plan on wasting a night to properly prepare.”

“You’ve barely touched your coffee and you already seem _bitter_ about not receivin' this information yesterday.” I smile at Weiss and she just shoots me a glare.

“You might be right, but we should know the overall layout so we can make a move. We catch Torchwick in the act and case closed.” Ruby acknowledges her partner’s worries, ignoring my comment.

“When do you plan for us to get into the storage?” I take a sip of my coffee.

“At sundown. If they are acting at night, they must be around the area by then.” Ruby swallows and proudly announces, “This will be our first official mission as a team!”

“Are we now going to propose a name for our triad?” Weiss crosses her arms. She shoots a glance at Ruby. “Since that’s what you did when we started taking missions together.”

“How about—”

“No, you’re going to make a joke out of it,” Weiss interrupts me before I can share the very good team name I came up with.

“I was goin’ to say Puns and Roses, since that’s the team attack Ruby came up with for us back when we were kids.” I smile at Ruby. She sighs, and I think I catch Weiss smiling slightly. I feel giddy just by thinking about all the possible funny team names. “How about… Flamin' White Rose?”

Ruby groans and Weiss speaks, “That’s too long for a team name, just no.”

“How about Snowdragon petals?” By the sound of Ruby’s voice as she makes that proposal, she’s not so certain about it herself, and she’s clearly expecting Weiss to object.

The Atlesian shakes her head. “Better, but it’s still too long. I, on the other hand, propose something more sensible and less polarizing.”

“Which is...?” I lean back, finishing my coffee.

“WYR,” Weiss says proudly. Although I’m almost certain how she orders our initials, I’m not sold on the pronunciation.

“Wire?” I cock a brow at her. “That’s not how it’d go.”

“Well, most of the time elite Alsius— or  _Atlesian_ now, I suppose— teams are formed by four people. We are three and I’m working my way around it.” Weiss crosses her arms. “WYR is far better that some awful pun that took you two seconds to come up with.”

“You just want to name the team yourself.” I smirk at her in an attempt to tease her. “You like puns, I’ve seen you appreciate my jokes, don’t try to hide it!”

“That isn’t relevant,” Weiss counters.

“Also, don’t think I don’t know how Atlesian team names work. You want to be the leader,” I point out and Weiss fakes a gasp, uncrossing her arms, pretending to be shocked at my accusation.

“Guys, we can decide a team name later.” Ruby stops Weiss before she attempts to defend herself. “We can be team WYR for now. What we should do, I think, is work on a good strategy so we can take all the bad guys down.”

“What about the huntress I saw lookin’ at our poster?” I interject.

“What about her?” Weiss crosses her arms again, unaware of who exactly I’m talking about. “We already have the information we need to proceed.”

“Yang, if you saw her, she probably will come this way at some point.” Ruby doesn’t address Weiss’s annoyance at my suggestion. “Weiss is right, so while I check the storage with your bird, you guys stay here and if she comes, talk to her.”

The huntress never makes an appearance even after Ruby leaves.

  
  
  


Alden comes back and stands on my shoulder. He flutters his wings and I smile. I then turn to give Ruby a nod. She nods back before activating her Semblance and leaving a trail of red petals behind her. She jumps out of the bushes, and Weiss and I are left behind along with Alden and Zwei.

The left side of the storage room has a long and narrow balcony. The guards usually use it to get some fresh air, smoke for a while, and then go back inside. The two men in charge of that area always leave the big windows, that double as doors, open since they come and go all the time. Ruby decided to take this to our advantage. She made sure the guy patrolling the side of the building turned around to move directly into the second floor.

Weiss and I watch from in between the leaves as Ruby darts towards the guards in her path. She uses her Semblance in a way that allows her to to knock the enemies out quickly making as little sound as possible. Thanks to her speed and the shape she takes in that state, the two grown men are confused and don’t react until it’s too late.

The first one is taken down on the balcony. Ruby grabs his gun and uses it to hit the back of his knees. Once he’s down, she hits his head and uses her Semblance again. She then takes the second guy, who’s inside the room, out. Maybe, instead of those silly black and red fedoras, they should have helmets. Otherwise, a 16-year-old ends up kicking your ass. _That’s just a suggestion though._

Once the second man is taken down in the same manner, we wait for my sister to give us a thumbs up to make our move. Ruby discards the second guard’s gun and gives us our signal.

 _Come on boy, your turn_ . I shake my shoulder, just enough to disturb Alden, and he takes off. He makes sure to flutter one of his wings in my face as he leaves. _Little son of a—_

I shake my head and try not to sneeze, cursing him under my breath as Weiss and I watch him going to the guard responsible for this side of the building's perimeter. Alden does the same thing he did to me and starts annoying the guard enough for him to deviate from his usual path to the side.

“You tiny little—!” The man waves his free hand in an attempt to scare Alden away. Little does he know that he can be very persistent when he wants. Once, he started picking on me because I wouldn’t give him his favorite seeds. I was angry at him and refused to give in, but he was really persuasive. After an hour of constant picking, I threw his seeds away and he got even more pissed.

Weiss unsheathes her rapier and makes slight movements with her right hand. A runway of white glyphs appears from where we’re hiding to the balcony, all the way up the long wall. Baby blue eyes lock on mine, and she cocks her head to the side, gesturing for me to move.

I pet Zwei, our backup, before running over every white glyph. They not only help my momentum, making me move much quicker, but also allow me to walk on the wall and get to the balcony safe and sound without causing any disturbance. I have to admit, Weiss’s family Semblance and aura manifestation sure are handy.

Once I land on my feet, I find Ruby moving one of the knocked out guys to the side. She’s clearly having trouble, because these guys are heavier than they look and my sister is quite the pipsqueak. So, I approach her and take the dude myself, dumping him on the side behind a shelf and a couple of boxes.

Ruby mouths a thank you directed at me when Weiss lands on the balcony herself. The glyphs deactivate, even if she has her rapier in hand. She joins us but seems confused when I move away to grab the second guard and make him stand up near the windows. I use a chair and a box to set him in place.

“What are you doing?” the Atlesan asks with urgency in the lowest tone she can muster.

I smile at her as I arrange the unconscious dude’s arms to hold his weapon. He seems to be keeping an eye on the outside from the inside. Thankfully, he’s wearing sunglasses, making it look like he’s doing his job. “Makin’ sure the area doesn’t seem clear,” I answer.

Ruby gives me another thumbs up, and she cocks her head to the side to indicate we should keep moving. We make sure to take over as we advance towards the inner balcony of the building. After all, the second floor doesn’t cover the whole perimeter of the storage facility, which gives us a good view of whatever's happening under us.

When we approach the rails, Ruby begins to monitor the movements of the guards beneath. During her original inspection of the area alongside Alden, she made sure to get a basic understanding of the building. Alden counted all the guards present in the building, and since the huntress I saw never came by the inn, we decided to carry out the plan Ruby came up with without any modifications. Even if Weiss tries to distance herself from her militaristic education, she still made sure to add to the plan with a more rigorous view.

Ruby gestures towards me, and I jump over the rails to land on a guard. My hands quickly cover his mouth and I leave him unconscious on the floor. Then I take cover behind some wooden crates as I wait for the second guard to keep his usual patrol route. Once I notice the pointy black shoes behind a group of crates, I roll forward, stopping before the edge of the cover; then I make a swift move to grab the man’s tie and pull him towards me. He’s surprised by my fist hitting him straight in the face, and his body goes limp.

Ruby and Weiss know the coast is clear,  even if there are at least ten more men on the ground floor, so while I wait for them to join me I grab both unconscious guards and carry their bodies on each of my shoulders before dumping them in between some boxes. I then grab an unused large piece of white dusty cloth and use it to cover the boxes and the two bodies.

When my sister and her partner join me, we advance a couple of feet and make our stop at the next pinpointed location. Everything is going according to plan, so my sister instructs us to carry on. Ruby and Weiss crouch down behind some crates to inspect their contents. I keep guard behind a column.

Ruby uses her tools to take some nails off a side of the crate, catching them before they hit the floor. She’s quick, and in no time she is able to get one of the corners of the crate open. She then goes to the opposite side. That’s when we hear Alden caw from outside.

The three of us hide behind our respective covers.

“I know she’s sending the kids again, but would you be so kind to tell me which one is coming?” A very familiar and charming voice catches my attention immediately. “If it’s the one with the annoying comebacks, I’m sending Neo to deal with him.”

“Uh... It’s the girl, sir. I don’t understand how this is relevant,” another man replies.

“It’s relevant because I say it’s relevant! They say you’re not supposed to pick a favorite, but everyone knows every parent has a favorite,” Roman Torchwick says with a cocky grin, his cane hooked on his left arm as he walks excitedly towards an unused crane. It reminds me of that time I heard him humming _Singing in the Rain_. “The girl could learn a thing or two about disrespecting authority, she’s too much of an amateur. It’s painful to watch.”

“So, is Miss Neopolitan not accompanying you or…?”

Torchwick turns to his henchman and sighs. “You truly have no sense of humor. I’m disappointed, might have to switch you for someone who can keep up.”

The guard hesitates and keeps his short black hair in place. He then coughs awkwardly.

“Look, nothing has changed. I’m leaving and meeting with the right people to make sure this operation continues running smoothly.” Torchwick sets his cane on the floor and rests both hands on top of it. “Also, as soon as the sun rises, there will be enough trucks to move all these goods, and I expect you to make sure everything is in place.”

“Of course, sir. Is there anything specific you want to request?”

Torchwick hums again and puts his cane over his shoulder. “I’d say make sure everyone handles these with care. Have you divided them accordingly? I don’t want my Dust getting mixed up with cheap plushies, hmm?”

“Of course, sir. They are arranged in specific sectors to make sure everything goes smoothly—”

“CAW” Alden calls from the outside, which both confuses and alarms me. I specifically instructed him to give us a signal as soon as someone of interest approached, i.e. Torchwick. So why was he giving the signal again?

“Scared of a little birdy?” Torchwick chuckles as he notices his henchman flinched.

I search for Alden from where I am. There are only two windows on sight and I cannot find him. I have no clue of what he’s trying to warn us about, I just know I should be on my toes and ready to strike. _Alden, where the fuck are you?_

He could act like the total butt he is and enter the building to fuck some shit up, but as I frantically look for any sign of him around us, I catch Weiss staring at me. She has a worried look in her eyes, and I can tell she’s expecting some answers from me. Unfortunately, I can’t give any.

Torchwick and the other man continue discussing things, but I’m too preoccupied with whatever situation we might soon get ourselves into to pay attention to what they are saying. It looks like that’s a job for Ruby now.

I want to mouth something to Weiss, maybe she can read my lips and I can tell her to keep an eye open for a new person of interest. Maybe Alden saw that Neopolitan person the other two mentioned before. If that’s the case, I’m sure we can find a way around it and get two big criminals instead of one.

I take a deep breath and make eye contact with Weiss again, who’s waiting for me to clarify the situation, but as I am about to speak a loud noise interrupts everyone’s train of thought, including the conversation between the two criminals. _Shit._

Over a hundred spare parts fall to the floor behind us from a crate, whose side suddenly collapsed out of nowhere, or so it seems. I’m almost certain I saw a shadow moving near it, like someone stumbled with it and knocked it over.

If someone had actually intended to draw attention to us, it was too late for me to go after them. Weiss, Ruby and I turn to each other because we are aware things are fucked, and the original plan is no more. I make sure to keep myself undercover and don’t break eye contact with my sister, who’s clenching her teeth in the most ‘we’re fucked’ way possible.

“Ramadi, take a look at that,” the man by Torchwick’s side orders another guard to check the crate that just fell from the second floor. The one that broke into a million pieces.

Torchwick doesn’t add anything, something quite unusual for him.

It’s the steps of someone’s fancy shoes that keep the silence at bay. I can only assume the man is approaching my side. My sister is looking at me. She’s yelling without opening her mouth, and just like that something clicks. I don’t hesitate, I close my eyes and take a deep breath, then I activate my gauntlets.

I turn on my heels, my hair sprawls around me, and I shoot at the guard’s feet. I don’t even lock eyes with the man that had been coming towards me. Once the wood under his feet is broken and he begins to fall forward, my right fist greets his face, and I can feel his nose breaking under my knuckles.

I turn again, keeping my momentum, with my hands up ready to take another guard right in that instant; ready in case someone else jumps at me. But no other enemy comes my way. I find myself staring at Torchwick’s eyes. The rest of the men are staring at their fallen comrade.

The man lets a painful moan escape his lips before he goes limp. His body falls on the ground, and his weapon falls next to him. The deafening sound of the metal hitting wood only elevates the tension inside the storage.

 

“Your henchmen may be well dressed, but it seems that a broken nose is what really _suits_ them.” I smirk at Torchwick.

His assistant gets on guard, ready to yell at me, but Torchwick raises his cane in front of the man.

“Teenagers these days, always making an entrance.” He smiles back at me, which isn’t surprising. “You know, kid, I’m always in for a good fight.”

He plays around with his cane for a moment, making it turn around his index finger. When he stops, he points the end of the cane at me and the cap pops open. An iron sight pops from his end of the cane, and he adds, “Unfortunately, this isn’t a playground.”

“Attack!” His assistant finally cries, and I see every guard on sight charging towards me.

I should probably do something other than mentally count the thirteen guys coming at me, but I’m already expecting Torchwick to fire so I can punch the bullet out of the way. My fists have been up since the guard I knocked out hit the floor, and they will remain there until the enemy makes his move. As I’m waiting for him to pull the trigger, I hear the screams of 30-years-old men coming towards me.

Torchwick smirks, and he attempts to pull the trigger, but finds himself unable to. He looks at his feet and then back at me. His eyes open in shock since he has just realized that I’m not alone. Beneath his feet a black glyph holds him in place, paralyzed.

A guy tries to come at me from the left; I use Ember Celica to block his hit and respond with a right hook. From the corner of my eye, I catch a guy coming from the second floor, trying to tackle me from the back. I turn on my heels to evade him. The second aggressor clashes against the first, and both fall to the ground. I crack a grin, even though two more men are approaching me.

“You idiots! She’s not alone!” Torchwick groans as I beat more of his goons. He looks around exasperated. “Stop running around, someone fucking push me!”

It’s not long before another one of his men pushes him away from the glyph, becoming my sister’s target as she jumps from behind her cover to make her attack. The henchman falls to the floor as his boss manages not to stumble on his feet.

I’m sure Torchwick shoots my sister some kind of a death glare, but I’m unable to see if she goes for him since I’m forced to block several bullets coming my way. I fire my gauntlets to divert some of the bullets before advancing to my next opponent. Right hook, left hook, and an uppercut. Another guy down.

A man uses the rails from the second floor to swing himself towards me. He tries to kick me with both legs, but I evade his hit. Once I move out of the way, I grab one of his feet to throw him against another henchman. Both are knocked against a crate. Luckily, that one didn’t seem to contain any Dust, otherwise we would have blown up by now.

_Crap, the Dust!_

I retract my gauntlets to a more defensive mode. No more firing against enemies any time soon. If I miss and end up hitting one of the wrong crates, we can kiss our asses goodbye, and that’s definitely not in the plans.

The two guys that clashed against each other come at me again while I’m fighting a dude with two katanas. He clearly has no idea I had to deal with this daily while I trained with Raven. That was painful, hard, and unlike this dude, she clearly knows her way around swords. The guard is surprised when I take his weapons away from him and use them to sweep the other two guys off their feet.

When I laugh at him, I notice on the corner of my eye a shadow passing behind some crates. Somehow I’m reminded of the broken crate that revealed our location, and I hear the odd clashing of swords. _One blade must belong to a goon, but Ruby’s scythe isn’t responsible for that sound, and I can see Weiss fencing right next to my sister..._

Someone tries to get hold of my hair, and thanks to my reflexes I evade them. Keeping my Semblance from activating is hard, considering what that asshole just tried to do. Instead, I grab the attacker’s hand and twist it around, making him cry in pain. _How fucking dare you._

A large, shiny weapon catches my attention, and I’m almost certain someone’s gonna do something very stupid. Somehow the image of a bazooka forms in my mind out of what little I could see of the guy’s gun. A group of men is blocking my way and I mentally prepare myself to go through them.

“Yang, get down!” Weiss yells at me.

_Yes, ma’am!_

I’m so glad I didn’t say that out loud.

A glyph forms over me and a shot of ice is fired, passing through three henchmen before taking a guy’s bazooka out. I wasn’t wrong, and Weiss just saved our asses. I smile in amazement and turn to thank her for covering my back.

She nods at me and continues pirouetting around, using her rapier to keep enemies at bay. She’s not that bad at close-range combat, since she’s making sure no one reaches her with her glyphs, changing her position quickly. Every twist and flick of her wrist ends up adding to some attack and I’m amazed to see her this invested. She really enjoys this, even if she wears the expression of someone dealing with a chore.

The fight’s not over, and from the corner of my eye I spot the back of a gun heading for my head. I stop the hit before it lands. I’m about to turn to give this guy a piece of my mind when I notice my sister landing next to Weiss after evading one of Torchwick’s attacks.

“I’m sorry ladies, but look at the time, I’m afraid I have to leave.” Torchwick makes a small reverence and takes off his hat momentarily. He then opens one of the metal doors of the storage facility and makes his exit. Several more guards enter to make sure no one follows him.

Ruby turns to me as I throw a guy over my shoulder against a column, evading one more punch.

“Yang!” Her body is turned to the door Torchwick used to escape. There’s no need to read her mind to know what she wants to do.

“Go wreck that dude, I’ve got your back!” I wink at her and take two more guys out.

She smiles back and exchanges glances with Weiss. Soon, they both take off and head straight to where Torchwick just left. Weiss uses her glyphs to move the men aside, and Ruby quickly runs through the new runway. They don’t even communicate what they are going to do, they have somehow reached that level of understanding, and I’m proud of my little sis and her partner.

While I’m thankful for our odds, I spin on my heels, letting these goons do my job for me. I jump over a box, then a crate, and with my momentum, I also step on some of the henchmen’s heads to make my way to the top of a tower of crates. I’m not even sorry for ruining their hats, they’re really basic.

Once I make it to the top, I wait for the metal door to close before I clear my throat.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” I call the attention to the remaining goons, I count thirty. “I’m quite the prima donna, you see, so I might need you guys to give me some attention.”

The men stare at me in confusion and I just smile, striking a pose. If I’m going to get these goons off my sister and Weiss, I might as well distract them with everything I have. That said, I know they are staring at my boobs, which could be considered rude, but what’s really rude is that I catch a guy already turning away.

I fire at the man, my bullets hitting the floor as he jumps back. His eyes, as well as everyone else’s, dart from the burned floorboards to me again.

“You are goin’ to make me angry, and you don’t want to make me angry,” I warn them in a mocking manner.

It doesn’t take long for the goons to realize I’m not going to move aside and let them pass. They shoot me glares and all face me with one thing in mind: this hot girl is going to go down, or something along those lines. They are probably pissed a teenage girl is keeping them in and will kick their ass.

When the first one makes his move, I use his head as the first step of the stairs and continue walking down by stepping on more fedoras. At some point, finally, one of them tries to punch me. I jump away and he ends up hitting his friend. _Of course I was hoping you’d do that._

Then I roll forward and make a right uppercut connect with someone’s jaw. Since I’ve learned to always keep an eye on what’s around me, I’ve already chosen the target for my next hit. My left fist is ready to hit another guard’s stomach, and I can already see myself turning on my heels to elbow him on the back and make him fall to the ground.

It’s when I finally make the move that I see the shadow again, passing behind some men, and then I hear the sound of a window breaking, which makes no sense. Every person remaining in the building is coming towards me, not running away. I punch a stomach, I elbow a back, and I kick a guy’s head down to move to my next target.

As I pass through two more goons, I make a decision: that shadow is real, someone else is here, and I’m going to go after them.

First things first, I start evading every hit that is directed towards me and start knocking some guards down. Only twenty are left and I begin moving through crates, using them to complicate these guys’ maneuvers and frustrating them even more. If I can distract them enough, I’ll be able to move them to where I want to go.

After several twists and turns and jumps, the men are acting like raging bulls, aching to tear me in two. So when I charge through them and exit the building by breaking down the window they don’t hesitate to follow me. They don’t care if their boss went the other way, they don’t care what their orders where, they don’t know I’m leading them to where the shadow went.

Zwei comes to my aid, and we take four more guys out. Since he has my back, I stare at the sky, and  it doesn’t take me long to spot Alden flying over the forest. He caws at me, and I know where to go.

“Zwei, go help Ruby and Weiss, I got this,” I tell my dog as I continue to engage the guards.

He barks at me, and after jumping at two dudes, confusing them for me, he hops off and runs away to where I imagine my sister and her partner are. Thanks to his aid, I take these two dudes out and I continue with my plan to track down the mysterious and elusive shadow.

Left, right, uppercut. Kick, elbow, and another kick. As I continue taking more of these guys out, I pass trees and bushes, following Alden. Left right, jump, right left, uppercut. I keep track of him from the corner of my eye as I leave a trail of unconscious men behind. When he caws again I know I’m almost there.

Black wings flutter, I knock the last guy out, and I’m able to hear someone else’s footsteps. My eyesight is shit, but from the familiar brush of leaves and sticks, I somehow manage to maneuver my way through the woods in the middle of the night. I focus on the sound of the steps, the dry leaves, and my own heartbeat.  I let them guide me.

When I finally hear a stick break under someone’s shoes close by, I take it as a sign. I activate my gauntlets and use my Semblance to fuel my movements. I jump from some bushes, launching myself forward at the person a few feet away from me, my right fist held high ready to strike, when I hear the sound of a weapon being unsheathed.

A big black silk bow catches my attention first, then it’s the black luscious locks moving around, following the motions of one of the prettiest faces I’ve even seen in my life. A jawline that could kill a man, blushed cheeks, long dark eyelashes, and the deepest, brightest amber eyes I’ve ever set my eyes on.

We cross glances as I’m mid air, ready to strike. She draws her weapon with her right hand to block me, close to the floor. Right then and there I realize it: she’s the huntress I saw this morning looking at our poster.

 

 

 


	9. Deadly Nightshade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, this was a Bumblebee fic, wasn't it?  
> Here's some Yang being gay.
> 
> Huge thanks to my bae (http://jungkooklikesboys.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

I’ve always wondered what the expression “time slowed down” really meant.

People say you see your life flash before your eyes when you are about to die. I didn’t really experience that when the Grimm had me at their mercy; even before Raven saved me, all I could think about was Ruby and the decisions that led to that situation. I didn’t really question the way I had lived my life: that came afterwards, when I went back home and, somehow, it felt empty.

Still, time does seem to slow down, but not only when you’re about to die. Time can slow down when you’re about to make a mistake, say, punch a huntress right in the face ‘cause you mistook her for the ally of a criminal. Oddly specific, I know. The thing is, two seconds ago, I used my Semblance to launch myself forward and make sure my hit landed square in someone’s face. Now my blood runs cold at the realization that I screwed up because I decided to attack before gathering enough information.

_ Raven would scold me for that. _

No matter what it may seem like to me, time doesn’t slow down. I only have a second to reassess the situation. I move my body backwards, changing my landing strategy by shifting my weight from my hand to my feet. In the end, my fist stops two inches away from her face. My feet dig into the ground. Her weapon is nowhere near enough to avoid the impact if I had indeed fired. 

We stare at each other’s eyes for what seems like an eternity. I’m lost in honey and she’s trapped in lavender. The huntress is shocked at my change of heart. To be honest, I’m shocked I was able to do it so fast. Who could have guessed a moment could be this tense?

We both let go of the breath we’d been holding since the moment we became aware of each other’s close presence.

I move back, giving her some space, and flip my unruly hair, trying to impose some order in a lost cause. Things couldn’t be more awkward even if I wanted to, so I decide to flash her one of my killer trademark grins and offer her a hand. “Sorry about that, lemme help you up.”

She cocks a brow at me, her right hand still up, not moving her weapon an inch. The blade, made out of what seems a very rare dark Damascus steel, has the length of a katana, and there’s a striker fired pistol built into its hilt. She wouldn’t have stopped me from hitting her, seeing as Ember Celica protects my wrists. Still, if she had managed to slice through my wrist with her blade, she could’ve then shot my face.

Her big amber eyes pierce through me, as if she were trying to figure me out. Funny, considering she almost managed to counter my attack in the deadliest way possible. 

“Why… Why are you helping me?” she asks, startled. Her bow twitches, or I think it does, as she tries to process my change in attitude.

“Kinda attacked you by mistake? I didn’t mean to scare you.” I shrug. She’s a hundred percent right though.

“How do you know I’m not one of them?” she continues, putting away her sword. Her voice, although it sounds restrained and calculated at points, reveals a hint of frustration.

As a huntress, you’re supposed to distrust any encounter with someone you’ve never met, even if that person is suggested as a contact by the one who’s requesting your help. You may even have to go as far as distrusting the one who’s giving you a mission, since even they can be involved in some shady shit. Although I don’t tend to question authorities, Raven made sure I understood I shouldn’t put my full trust in anyone, even if I had worked with them before.

She herself taught me that lesson multiple times. Scouting missions that ended up getting me nowhere or almost killed, setting me up to deal with mercenaries without my knowledge… Hell, even her apprentice kicked my ass at some point while she pretended to betray me. Her apprentice actually did though: she stole my gauntlets, and I had to get them back later.

It makes sense that this huntress is hesitant when facing me, just like I should be while communicating with her. Beautiful people usually inspire trust, and let’s just say we both are blessed in that department. As pretty as her face is, and as distracting as her curves are, I can’t let myself be fooled by that.

“I know because you have the poster I made in your pocket.” I point out at the crumpled piece of paper peeking out of her pocket. Her eyes follow my finger to the object in question and then they go back to my eyes. “Also, your weapon is too well-crafted for you to be a goon. You’re a huntress. Blame my sister for knowin’ that.”

She makes a face, like she’s amused at what I just said. I get the feeling that she was testing me. Maybe because unlike her, I decided to face Torchwick head on, and of what I’ve seen of her, she takes a more stealthy approach to things. Still, she takes my hand and I take it as a sign of trust. After I help her up, she sheathes her sword back into place, the black long ribbon hanging from it getting mixed in between her dark hair.

“You shouldn't have put up a wanted poster of Torchwick in the middle of town, someone could have tipped him off,” she remarks.

I smirk and say, “Actually, that isn’t a wanted poster, but rather a missin’ person poster.”

She looks at me, confused, before taking the paper from her pocket and unfolding it with her hands. After inspecting it, she notices the small note I scribbled under the hand-drawn portrait. “Well, I’m sorry your cousin has gotten involved with such immoral people.”

I chuckle. I don’t think even Ruby was aware of the description I wrote on the poster. I was careful enough not to draw Torchwick like an obvious criminal, cigar and all, so those who had seen him wouldn’t feel like they were tipping off some sort of mob boss, which they were actually doing. Maybe she’s not as observant as I thought either, maybe that ended up being my way of testing her.

“I’m sorry I made you lose your chance to catch him.” She folds the piece of paper and offers it to me.

“Oh, you didn’t,” I appease her. She opens her mouth to say something as soon as I finish the sentence. I take the folded poster from her hand and explain, “My sis and her partner went after our ‘cousin’.”

I see Alden flying my way, wings fluttering as he descends.

“You work with a team? Shouldn’t you be with them?”

“Nah, I think they are alright.” I extend my hand to see if he wants to land on it.

Alden flies around me and flutters his wings on my face, like the little shit he is. I move my hands to push him away, and he leaves to stand on a nearby tree. He then caws at the other huntress, opening his wings in a menacing manner.

“Dammit, Alden.” I manage to get one of his black feathers out of my hair. I’m not sure if he does this because he thinks he’s funny or because he’s pissed, or just because he knows I hate it. I glare at him even though he simply cocks his head to the side as a response.

“Was she the one you were tryin’ to warn us about? Because you did a real good job at keepin’ us notified,” I tell him, not really expecting an answer. When I turn to the huntress, I see her staring at Alden, intrigued, then at me.

“You have a pet raven?” she asks, probably confused at the fact that I’m talking to an animal as if he can understand me.

_ Boy, if only she saw Weiss talkin' to Zwei. _

“More like he’s stuck with me.” I shrug. Explaining the whole story behind a raven following me around would take too long, and I’d have to get into specifics. Besides, Raven told me specifically not to disclose anything about how her Semblance works or about her birds in general.

“Oh, by the way, I’m Yang and he’s Alden.” I offer my right hand to her for a shake. “Pretty sure our meeting couldn’t be more awkward than me almost punchin’ you.”

She smiles at me, and if I described her face as pretty before, right now I have to say it’s gorgeous. There’s a cutting edge to her smile, it’s so warm but sly at the same time, making me feel all sort of things. “Actually, it would have been more awkward if I had cut your hand.”

I laugh at her complicit tone, but instead of letting her have it, I activate Ember Celica. “These bad girls give my wrists all the protection I need.”

Her eyes quickly scan my gauntlets, and I realize that she’s not as observant as I originally thought she was. Considering she was able to be quiet and almost sneak away without anyone but me noticing, I expected her to be more perceptive than she actually is.

Maybe that’s what disorients me about her, or maybe it’s her piercing golden eyes that seem to look right through me. Every time she bats her eyelashes I feel like my Semblance is taking the damage and I’m going to implode in flames.  _ Actually, that sounded really sexual. Damn, I should have thought of a better innuendo. _

“I’m Blake.” she offers her right hand, and I deactivate my gauntlets to properly shake it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, even if it turned out to be quite the unfortunate encounter.”

I smile at her. “So, Blake, what exactly brings you here? I mean, aside from the poster I hung up on the board yesterday.”

I’d love to listen to the sound of her voice for hours, and even if she seems like the type of person that would be interesting to have a conversation with, I’m on duty. I’m fully aware she was the one who caused the box to fall to the ground and messed up Ruby’s plan. Still, it’d be rude to accuse such a lovely lady of purposefully screwing our plan.

She sighs and fixes the three quarter sleeves of her v-neck zip-up shirt, the black helms now neatly hugging her tanned skin. “Yes. Regarding that, when I saw the portrait of Roman I thought he fitted the description I had been given by several people. I’ve been keeping track of some robberies and assaults, and all the witnesses described the same man. By mere chance, I somehow found myself staring at a portrait that seemed to fit everything I was looking for in a small town.”

“So you thought that my team and I were being really reckless, and decided to act alone with the information you had on him?” I ask.

She sighs. “Yes, I know I should have read the poster. I take the blame for that, but I had no idea what kind of people you were. In addition, it’s quite unusual to find huntsmen and huntresses working together.”

“You thought it was a trap?”

“If you had seen what Torchwick left behind after each attack, you wouldn’t be surprised.” 

She shrugs as she walks to the side. I follow her with my eyes as she speaks. 

“An ambush would be expected of him, so yes, it was my first assumption. I’ve been careful up to this point, yet when I finally started following him into a storage, I saw three other people waiting to attack him.” She crosses her arms. “As I recalculated, I forgot to be careful with my movements and ended up drawing unwanted attention to your sector. I’m sorry about that.”

“Yeah, don’t worry. We wanted some info, but Ruby had also planned to ambush him if we had enough evidence to bring him down. If he’s behind every crime he’s suspected of, they’re gonna hang him in Vale,” I say, even though technically speaking they’d actually make him stay the rest of his sorry ass in prison. “So, we might have ended up fightin’ him either way.”

“How much do you know about Torchwick exactly?” Blake asks. She cocks her head to the side, her bow following her movement.

“Uh… My sis and Weiss know more than me, I barely caught up yesterday.” I shrug. “Why are you asking?”

“I thought maybe we could exchange some information, perhaps even work together to better our chances of driving him into a corner and bringing him to justice.”

Her offer doesn’t seem out of line. Cooperation is something you should always look for, especially when dealing with a mob boss—or a huge horde of Grimm. Although I’m tempted to take her offer right away, Weiss had indeed called us a team, and I should probably consult with them before making any decision (even if I still think WYR isn’t a good team name).

I look at Blake, her weapons strapped to her back, probably held together by a magnet that works well with Damascus steel. Aside from her zip-up shirt, she has black pants, a black belt that holds some sort of fabric around her hips, probably to hide her ammunition storage, and black high heel boots. I’m not sure if the black ribbons tied to her arms are decorative or not, but it seems like a decent get-up for a huntress. Maybe she has some close combat skills; she does seem well equipped for someone whose strategy is based on remaining light on her feet. 

Since Weiss and Ruby seem to focus more on mid- and long-ranged attacks, having someone like Blake along for a mission would probably be positive. I’m thinking she could have skills that’d help our team, and if she does have relevant information about Torchwick, that would definitely be a plus. Also, she’s about our age, which is better for team dynamics, _ right?  _

Somehow I can already feel Weiss objecting to the thought.

“Alright.” I nod at her, then turn to spot that irritating raven that keeps acting like a smartass. “Alden, lead us to Rubes.”

  
  


 


	10. Team WRY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter dedicated to sass.
> 
> Thanks to my bae (http://outrotearsupremacist.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

 

A quick flick of my wrist, and the door of the storage locks behind us. Our escape was clean, swift, and we’re sure not to lose track of our target this time. Although I’m confident enough that Yang can handle all of Torchwick’s employees without a problem, I can’t help but remember that first time the three of us fought side by side.

It’s true that three years have passed, and that I wasn’t of assistance back then. In fact, it’s not just that I was wounded, I couldn't do anything about Ruby’s Semblance. When Ruby came towards me, I suddenly turned into white petals and flew alongside her. It took me by surprise, I didn’t know what was happening, and I wasn’t able to control where Ruby took us.

Now, after being in similar situations many times, I’m used to the feeling of Ruby just swarming towards me and picking me up to take me somewhere safe. I don’t get nauseous anymore, but that first second of realization of what is happening still hits me every time.

“Come on, I don’t pay you to drive like a grandmother! Hit the gas!” Torchwick hurries the driver of the small Jeep he managed to get himself into after running away from the building.

The man complies, against his better judgement, and Torchwick sends us a cocky grin as he gets a better hold of the back of his seat.

“Weiss, stop him!” Ruby runs ahead of me, her crimson cape fluttering in the wind as she tries her best to gain more momentum.

“On it!” I raise Myrteneaster and aim with my right hand, ready to use a glyph. Running after him is on itself a preposterous idea; added to the fact that I’m wearing heels, it makes it impossible. Yet here I am, trying to keep up with a vehicle while making sure to pinpoint the exact moment when I can properly use my abilities to stop our enemy.

“Oh-ho-ho, fool me once, shame on you...” Just when I’m about to place glyph, I see Torchwick aiming at me from the corner of my eye. “Fool me twice, shame on me.”

He shoots right at me, and, just by mere chance, I move my rapier fast enough to divert the bullet. Ruby stares at me with worried eyes, and she knows the option of using our usual strategy is off the table. She cannot use her weapon to snipe Torchwick either; even with her accuracy, she’d be risking it.

We exchange glances, and I know Ruby has come out with a better plan to deal with our enemy. That’s who she is, someone fast not only in the literal sense, thanks to her Semblance, but also in the way she thinks. If there’s anyone I’d trust with my life in a moment of desperation, it’s her.

“White Rose!” Ruby moves in front of me and maneuvers Crescent Rose to stop the bullets. When she has the chance, she loads a new cartridge of fire Dust infused bullets to her weapon.

I close my eyes and flick my wrists, quickly drawing the power of my Semblance with all the concentration I can muster as I run. I feel the cold embrace me, as if I had just opened the front doors of my family mansion to greet the harsh Alsius winter— _Atlesian! Atlesian winter. Weiss, focus!_

The next time I open my eyes, I’m in control of a body that’s not mine.

A white Boarbatusk with glowing blue details rises from thin air and joins the chase. It roars as it charges forward. I direct it, but I don’t fully control everything it does. At this point, trying to supress the creature’s instincts is pointless.

“What?” Torchwick looks at me with horrified eyes, or rather, at my summoning. He groans and reloads his weapon again before he starts firing at my Boarbatusk. “What’s with children’s toys nowadays? Pesky Semblances!”

Even while I’m running I take full control of my summon and hurry forward to tackle the vehicle. There’s no way they are going to escape. My aura is not limited, but my task will be done before I’m nowhere near a depleted state.

Torchwick begins firing again, and although a Boarbatusk isn’t known for having good reflexes, it’s me who’s in charge. Swiftly, I make my summon avoid the bullets and let it roar again as I get close to the jeep. The man grows impatient, but his aim doesn’t falter. He manages to hit my Boarbatusk, and it stings. I can feel its pain, but I force the creature to push forward.

As I begin to close in on them, my summon lowers his head to be ready to use his tusks. Torchwick grinds his teeth and manages to land another hit before someone pushes him to the side.

Rose petals disrupt his vision, and just like that, Ruby gets into the vehicle and kicks the driver out of his seat. I see the jeep tumble, losing control as Torchwick desperately tries to grab the wheel and hit Ruby.

I want my summon to jump in and help her somehow, to stop her from crashing against a tree, but suddenly a body comes towards my summon. The driver Ruby just got out of the way and—

Everything goes dark, I’m back in my body, and I stumble with my own feet, falling to the ground.

 _Dammit!_ I cough, doing my best to stop myself from inhaling even more dust. _Ruby! I have to get to her._

I use my hands to push myself off the ground, not minding the hilt of Myrteneaster digging into my palm as I do. There’s no time to waste, I haven’t heard any noise that would indicate a crash, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have to find a way to get to her—

Right in front of me, I see a Beowolf. Its nostrils flare, and I can hear the low rumbling its making as it stares at me with its bright red eyes.

I freeze in place, not knowing what to do. The Grimm is staring at me so intently, I know I have to be careful with my next move because I know it will react. Yet I’m still on the ground, my hands barely pushing my shoulders and head up for me to look at him cautiously in the same manner.

It flares his nostrils again, and I tighten my grip around Myrteneaster.

If he jumps directly towards me, I can use a glyph to immobilize it, and after I’ve moved out of the way, I can boost my attack in order to stab it enough times for it to vanish. If I’m that quick, I’ll be able to summon a bigger Boarbatusk to ride until I finally reach Ruby.

However, if it sees right through me, it might be able to move in any other direction and evade my glyph altogether. I won’t have enough time to block or evade its attack if it does that.

The Beowolf’s growls grow louder, and it clicks. We both get ready to attack and—

Zwei hits the creature right on the snout as it comes to my rescue, curled on itself. The Beowolf falls back, and Zwei stops in front of me, head held high, ready to protect me once again. That, fortunately, won’t be necessary, since I get back on my feet. I’m ready to fight back.

“You’re such a good boy!”

He barks back at me happily.

If I could, I’d hug him tightly right now for being such a reliable teammate, but to my displeasure, the Grimm is getting back on its feet once again. A ridiculous thought crosses my mind, but nonetheless, it surprises me that I hadn’t thought about this before. Perhaps team WYR does have a fourth member, and it is the best puppy anyone could ask for.

The Beowolf roars and comes at us. There’s not much to be said, Zwei and I both push forward. He tackles the Grimm head on and I use my glyphs to boost myself and hit the creature repeatedly until it vanishes.

It stood no chance against the both of us. Of course, I have to thank Ruby for purposefully asking Zwei to be out of sight until back up was needed. Her strategy has always worked in our favor when it was only the two of us, and if he is here, Yang’s probably not in trouble. Just as I expected.

Just when I’m about to pet Zwei and thank him for his help again, I’m reminded that Ruby could still be in danger. I close my eyes once more, bringing Myrteneaster close to my chest to summon a small Nevermore.

Once more, I’m greeted with an icy breeze as I take control of my summon. I make it fly high as I scan the forest for any signs of my partner. Easily enough I am able to detect the tire tracks of the jeep marked deeply into the dirt. I follow them.

Ruby and I have been pushed into many corners, and although many times it seemed that we were putting our lives on the line by taking numerous enemies at a time, we didn’t want to find ourselves in the same situation we were when we met. I’ve always stopped Ruby from attemping dangerous feats, like crossing a torn bridge or throwing herself from a high place in order to test her Semblance.

Yet here I am, frantically looking for the girl I… for my _partner_ that could have easily crashed against an old tree and ceased to be.

But there she is! Still on the vehicle. She’s trying to keep her hands on the steering wheel while also trying to push Torchwick away. They push, hit and yell at each other. Unfortunately for Ruby she doesn’t know how to drive; fortunately for her, Torchwick takes control of the jeep and pushes her aside.

As I’m about to make my summon aid her in some way our enemy manages to use his cane to make Ruby lose her balance and then fires his weapon, forcing her out of the car. She uses her Semblance to avoid getting hit, and I don’t think she’s able to stop or move to go at him again. The blast of petals dashes in the opposite direction of the car, flying away.

“See you never, Red!” Torchwick waves at her with a cocky grin as he gets away.

My Nevermore caws desperately as I try to call her name, following the rose petals as fast as it can.

When she materializes again, Ruby’s back hits a broad trunk and she lands on her rear. The tree shakes and several leaves fall to the ground, accompanying the movement more gracefully than they should. Ruby’s hood covers her face, and a wave of worry hits me like a truck.

My summon rushes to her side, and I try to figure out if she’s okay or not. My answer comes in the shape of a grunt that escapes from Ruby’s lips, and just like that, I breathe a sigh of relief.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” she groans as she rubs her back. Slowly, she tilts her head upwards and finds me looking at her though my summon. She smiles at me while still clearly in pain. “Just give me a sec.”

I close my eyes again and let go of my Semblance. When I open them again, I’m back in my body; my summon has probably vanished by now. I sheath Myrteneaster back, and I’m ready to properly thank Zwei for coming to my aid, but I don’t find him near me. In fact, I see him walking towards the unconscious driver sprawled across the dirt road.

I decide to follow him, since I notice him sniffing very intently as he approaches the man. I brush the dust off my jacket and skirt. The dirt is not going to come off as easily, and I already feel like taking a bath, but seeing as our person of interest has managed to escape there’s no way I’m going back to the inn with my hands empty.

“Zwei, have you seen Yang?” I ask him as I sit on my heels to observe the man and get a closer look.

Zwei barks at me and wags his tail, which confirms that Yang is doing okay. He then resumes his search and starts sniffing the man’s coat.

There’s not much to say about him. The driver’s hair is slick with gel, originally combed into place, but now sprawled everywhere and dirtier than ever. His ugly fedora is a few feet away from him, covered in dirt. He’s wearing the same suit every one of Torchwick’s men does, including the red tie, now coming quite lose after the scuffle with Ruby (and probably after falling to the ground and rolling around until he came to a halt).

Zwei barks and insists that I check this man’s coat. He is using his snout to point to a specific location, highly likely an inside pocket. Carefully, I follow his advice and open the man’s coat, only to find the expected pocket with something inside. Without a second thought I take the folded piece of paper from the man and move back to let Zwei continue inspecting the driver.

I get on my feet again and open what I thought was a letter, but to my surprise it isn’t. What I’m holding in my hands is a map, and a small note with small instructions for someone who plans to fly a helicopter. There’s a set of coordinates written in the form of a list in very messy handwriting. I look over to the map of Sanus, and just as I expected, there are base coordinates marked on the ends of the map as well.

It would take me less than five minutes to determine all the locations that this driver, or rather pilot, was planning to visit in the nearby future, but what’s important is that we now know how Torchwick manages to get across a continent as quickly as he does. I will be able to discover his itinerary once I sit down and take a proper look at his notes.

I fold both pieces of paper again and stuff them inside one of the two pouches of my belt. Then my eyes look for Zwei, and I find him turning the pilot around. He looks at me and huffs, expecting me to cuff him. I smile at him and use some earth Dust to produce some handcuffs. The criminal is now secure, and all that’s left is for me to wait for my teammates to rejoin me.

Zwei goes away, probably to see if the pilot lost something when he fell off the jeep. He gets inside some bushes, and I know I’ll be seeing him in ten minutes or so. Ruby is probably already coming my way, that is, if she stopped stroking her behind. Yang, on the other hand, should be here by now.

“Hey, princess, waitin’ for someone?” _Speak of the devil._

I turn to address Yang, ready to scold her for using that ridiculous pet name, but as I do, my eyes find two people instead of one. Next to the buxom blonde, a tall woman with a big black bow and the whitest zip-up shirt I’ve seen in a while comes towards me.

“Um, excuse me? Mind if I ask who’s accompanying you right now?” I cross my arms over my chest. I get the feeling that despite my protests earlier today Yang still believes we should add more numbers to our team.

Yang approaches with a huge smile on her face, her bird on her shoulder, and I feel like she’s trying to get my attention, so I don’t keep analyzing this new individual. I’m fully aware that what I’m asking is making her companion uncomfortable, and perhaps that’s my plan.

“Remember the huntress I saw looking at my poster? Well... Meet Blake,” Yang gestures with her hands towards the young woman at her side. Her pet raven barely flips his wings on her shoulder. Somehow I feel like the bird is just as against the idea Yang is about to propose as I am.

“Hello, my name is Weiss,” I introduce myself, failing to pretend to be pleased at the situation. “Tell me, Blake, how did you find yourself caught up in the middle of this? Did you, perhaps, know Torchwick beforehand?”

Yang is about to say something but her companion interrupts her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Weiss. I’m aware that our meeting is not taking place under the best circumstances. I’m sorry I didn’t contact you before, but I wasn’t sure if this was a trap.”

I turn my head slightly to Yang and she’s smiling proudly, her hands on her hips. She’s too cocky for her own well being. “Yeah, get this: Blake has been trackin’ Torchwick from towns even North from Vale! That means he’s bein’ naughtier than we thought!”

I roll my eyes and say, “Yes, Ruby and I already thought about that, but we preferred to follow his tracks rather than go back. I don’t believe you’ve found anything that useful if you found yourself here, right, Blake?”

Blake smiles. “Actually, I do have valuable information on him. I also made a proposal to your teammate.” Her voice is coated in honey, there’s something mellifluous about it.

Yang’s smile grows wider, and I cringe.

“So, princess, here’s the thing. Since we need info, I was thinkin’ we could, ya know, help each other out,” Yang proposes.

“That is, if you have information to help me after Torchwick got away.” I’m almost certain Blake is mocking me.

“For your information, we do,” I snap back, before Yang can add something.

I don’t want to repeat myself again, especially in front of a stranger. I’m not sure what’s gotten into Yang, but I don’t believe it’s a good idea to trust someone you just met, especially involving an investigation with someone as big as Torchwick. Our plan went wrong, and this attractive woman appeared out of nowhere. Besides, like I’ve said before: more people means a higher possibility of making mistakes.

Nonetheless, amber eyes scan me cautiously, as if she was the one who should be suspicious of others. _How dare she._

“Hey guys,” Ruby takes a moment to catch her breath. I feel her hand on my right shoulder, and she leans  on me as she recovers. “I think using my Semblance while in a car was a very bad idea.”

The three of us and Yang’s bird turn to her. When she finally raises her head, her eyes lock on Blake’s. She stands up straight and fixes her cape. “Oh, Yang, she’s the pretty huntress you saw this morning!”

I furrow my brows and look at Yang, who chuckles as her sister’s comment.

“Hey, Rubes, I’m the one who’s supposed to do the complimentin’ and flirtin’.” She moves one of her hands to the back of her head. “Ruby, this is Blake. Blake, my sister, Ruby.”

Blake waves her hand at my partner and says, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ruby.”

“Yeah, you too.” Ruby smiles. “So, what’s going on here?”

“I was tellin’ Weiss that Blake had offered to join our team to catch Torchwick,” Yang answers.

“That sounds great! He got away, so I don’t see why an extra pair of hands wouldn’t be a good idea…” Ruby starts talking excitedly until she glances at me and her expression changes as soon as she realizes I’m against the idea.

“Look, if your partner doesn’t believe you need more help on your investigation, that’s fine. We can each continue trying to catch Torchwick on our own,” Blake says calmly. “It’s probable that we will meet again in the future, if we are lucky with our findings. Thank you, however, for considering my offer.” She directs a smile at Yang.

“Oh, come on. If two heads think better than one, imagine four!” Yang insists on the idea.

“But like I’ve said, I found very useful information. We now know where Torchwick will go next, so I don’t believe we will be needing any of your… services.”

I see Yang smirk in the corner of my eye and I know she just thought of something improper.

“How can you be so certain that what I know is not useful either?” Blake shoots back.

I open my mouth to reply but Ruby interrupts me before I can say anything. “Hey, maybe we can talk this out, as a team, and weigh our options…”

There’s nothing to discuss with regard to this. I will not allow a stranger to be part of team WYR. Yang has barely gotten back from her three year training adventure and they are proposing to make our small and effective team bigger.

“How about I make another proposal.” The three of us look at Blake. “I’ll be staying in town another night. Tomorrow, an hour after the sun rises, I’ll be at Pete’s having breakfast. If you decide we should share information, I’ll wait for you for 60 minutes. If you don’t come, then we can all follow our own paths. How does that sound?”

I look at Yang, and then we look at Ruby. If they truly want to make an argument on why it would be a good idea to trust her, this is their opportunity to do so. I sigh. Perhaps I could even convince them to let go of this huntress.

I nod, and Yang does the same.

Ruby smiles at Blake. “Sounds good.”

Blake bows, ever so slightly, the bow on her hair following her movements. “I hope to see you there. Have a good night.”

She turns around and walks away in the direction of the town. There is a sword with black ribbon tied to its end on her back, held together by an belt and a strange mechanism. My eyes linger on her outfit, maybe I’ll be able to learn something about her by her get-up. As I do so, I notice that Yang is staring at her rear.

“ _Yang_ ,” I shouldn’t be surprised by this.

“Yeah?” Her head turns towards me, acting all innocent. I shake my head and she shrugs, approaching her sister and me. “So, we discussin’ this or what?”

I place my hands on my hips. “You already know what I think about this. I thought we had already discussed this back at the inn.”

Ruby opens her mouth to say something, but Yang gestures with one of her hands to her bird. “Hold on. Hey, buddy, would you escort the lovely lady?”

The raven caws and opens its wings, taking off. He flies in the same direction Blake just left.

“I know you don’t trust her, so, there you go. Alden will warn us if she’s spyin’ or somethin’. You don’t have to worry about it.” She crosses her arms over her chest. She then shoots a glance at Ruby, waiting for her to add something.

“Okay, Weiss, first things first. What did you find out?” Ruby asks.

I take the map and the note out of my belt pouch, neatly unfolding both pieces of paper before showing them to them. “I believe the driver is also a pilot, and he was planning on taking Torchwick to several destinations, as you can see by the list of coordinates here.”

Ruby looks at the map, puzzled. “How do you know these coordinates are gonna take you somewhere?”

“I had military training, remember? I was taught how to drive different military vehicles, and that included aircrafts and helicopters,” I explain myself, then fold the note with the coordinates. “It will take me a moment to decipher these, but if you pay close attention to the markings on the map...”

“You know where Torchwick’s goin’. That is, if he doesn’t alter his schedule,” Yang finishes my sentence for me. “He’s meetin’ with a girl, right? He said somethin’ about someone named Neopolitan. Another one of his goons, I guess.”

“Actually, I don’t think he’s changing his plans. The girl he’s gonna meet is coming with a big shipment, changing the plans last minute would be a problem. He said he had been waiting for that meeting for a month now,” Ruby replies. It looks like while Yang and I were worried about her bird, she had listened to the rest of the conversation Torchwick had had with his employee.

“Well, it’s settled then: we will go to the next location and capture him there,” I state proudly. After capturing all these criminals working for him, there will be enough evidence to arrest him. The stolen merchandise will be nothing but a plus. “Like I’ve said before, we don’t need the help of that woman.”

Yang sighs. “Actually, we might. She’s come all the way from Vacuo to capture this dude, and whatever he’s involved with is bigger than we originally thought.”

Zwei returns and calmly jogs our way to sit next to Ruby. His ears perk up as he listens to our discussion.

I cock a brow at her. “How could you possibly know she’s from Vacuo? Are you just drawing that conclusion because of her tanned skin?”

Yang chuckles. “She’s got a sweet tan, yeah, but really it’s that her weapon is made of Damascus steel. Just like your scythe, sis.” She looks so smug, so full of herself, I can’t help but glare. I’m not sure what her point is, but when I turn to look at Ruby I find her looking at her sister in awe.

“Would you translate, please?” I direct my question to my childish partner.

“Ah!” Ruby stands up straight. “Damascus steel is a very rare metal, it’s dark and full of patterns. It’s often used for high quality swords, it’s almost impossible to shatter, and it requires a lot of care, aside from providing a beautiful aesthetic for any weapon… Aaaaaand it’s only properly forged in Vacuo.”

“But if your weapon has it, why couldn’t she also find a way to get some?” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Uncle Qrow got it for her.”

“And? Are you saying no one but your uncle has contacts in Vacuo?”

“Actually, the metal is so rare only very experienced smiths can forge it, and even being a great forger won’t guarantee you’ll do it successfully,” Ruby interrupts. “Uncle Qrow convinced a close friend to forge some, and he only made Crescent Rose’s blade.”

I give her a stern look.

“Okay, what I’m trying to say is that I highly doubt someone outside of Vacuo, who’s not uncle Qrow, can get their hands on Damascus steel.” She shrugs. “It’s one of Vacuo’s most famous and precious manufactures. It’s their signature when it comes to high-quality swords.”

I sigh. Perhaps this huntress is indeed from Vacuo, and Torchwick has been attacking merchants and shops all from the West to here. This means that we’re getting involved in something bigger than we thought, yes, and it would even be right to assume more dangerous. In such circumstances, it wouldn’t be out of place to get more help, yet—

“Why are you so against workin’ with Blake?” Yang’s voice interrupts my train of thought.

“Because we can’t just ask a stranger to join our team,” I retort.

“So? Mom, dad and uncle Qrow met by chance, and they all come from different parts of Vale.” She raises a brow.

Although I am aware that Tai and Qrow met in dangerous circumstances, that story just seems distant.

“She’s from another kingdom, we cannot trust her.”

“So are you.”

“I—,” It feels like she has stabbed me with a sharp object, there’s a pain in my chest. She’s not wrong, if she and Ruby hadn’t found me that day… We both know it, yet I find myself unable to say a word. There’s a lump in my throat, and it all comes back to me: running away from home, getting into a fisherman’s ship to get to Sanus, only to get myself lost in the middle of the woods. “It’s not the same.”

Yang’s expression changed drastically even before I finished saying anything. He awkwardly scratches the back of her neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Weiss, it’s okay.” The warmth of Ruby’s hand on my shoulder scares me at first, but then I meet her eyes and everything goes away. “It’s true that we should be careful with who we trust, but if Yang’s right, then this is bigger than we thought, and to be safe we might need another hand.”

I open my mouth to say something, anything, but again I’m not certain of what.

“Look, we don’t simply have to have her join our team and be all peachy with it,” Yang shrugs. “We can keep an eye on her. Like right now, I’ve asked Alden to establish a perimeter. He is makin’ sure she didn’t stay hidden to listen to this conversation. If it makes you feel better, I can make sure she’s not doin’ anything funny.”

“Yeah, she doesn’t really have to join the team!” Ruby tries to cheer me up by adding some excitement to her tone. “Maybe she can even become a long-distance contact, like Qrow has in Vacuo! That way I can get more Damascus steel for Crescent Rose. Team WYR can still be the three of us.”

I sigh, and can’t help but smile at Ruby. “Look at you two, Team WYR has started its first mission and you already want to add more members to it.”

“As a matter of fact, princess, I thought of a better name for our small team of badasses.” Yang places her hands back on her hips with confidence. She grins, waiting for me to ask, and I’m already tempted not to.

“And what would that name be?” My arms find their place crossed on top of my chest.

“W-R-Y,” she replies, saying each letter with precision.

I’m not certain I heard that correctly as I realize what word she has made up with our initials. The word doesn’t define an object like most Alsi— _Atlesian_  team names do. I frown at her, unsure if she’s trying to mock me or not. “Team Wry?”

“Actually, it’s pronounced ‘why’. The R is silent.” She gives me a devilish grin and I swear to the gods I want to slap it right out of her face.

“I’m so done with you.” I don’t even want to keep staring at her, I just turn on my heels and head back to the storage to gather all the men and women we’ve defeated so we can take them to the watchmen’s post.

Ruby simply laughs along with Yang.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said the faunus were never given Menagerie as a safe haven? Well... This is the part where that begins to be important.  
> Since Blake and other faunus are canonically from Menagerie or live there as of the present, in the alternate timeline, that's not a thing. Because of that, I decided to analyze some of the things we know about the kingdoms and placed the faunus characters in already established kingdoms.  
> More on Blake's story later, of course.


	11. Outsider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: I bet you don't expect this.
> 
> Thanks to my bae (http://outrotearsupremacist.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

 

_The black-feathered bird is standing on one of my knees, watching me closely. I press my digit against its beak. Crimson eyes stare at me while its wings twitch. My finger remains on its place, and the raven doesn’t move an inch beneath it. It’s like we’re both in a trance: none of us willing to acknowledge it or do something about it._

_I’m not sure why he is here. After following him for a week and a half to get to the camp, and then another full day to find the tribe again, I have no clue as to why it has remained by my side. I thought it was because my mom ordered him to, but I’m not that sure anymore. Now, while I’m hiding in my newly assigned tent, it came inside and landed on top of my left knee, over the purple piece of cloth I always tie around my leg._

_I heard my mother call him Brennus before, but somehow it doesn’t feel like the right name for him. It’s hard to explain, just like why I feel mesmerized by its red eyes: they remind me so much of uncle Qrow and my mom._

_He’s got a fixation on me too, a weird one. He didn’t allow me to rest when I was chasing after him, led me into an ambush carried out by my mother, and scolded me with a caw every time I tried to eat berries—but in hindsight, those did make my hands itch afterwards. Now, while I lie on the dirt inside a makeshift tent, hiding from the glances and glares of the members of the tribe, he’s here._

Alden has a nice ring to it. It feels like a better name.

_I push his beak again, just barely, to get some sort of reaction from him. His wings twitch once more, and he moves his head from side to side before returning it to its original position. The pair of crimson eyes refuse to leave me._

_“Raven is waiting for you.”_

_I turn to look at the person who has entered my tent. It’s the girl who’s always at my mom’s side whenever I see her. I’m not certain if she’s her bodyguard or her apprentice. She looks my age, barely even fitting in the tribe compared to the other members I’ve seen. She wears most of her green hair short except for two long ponytails that follow her body every time she makes a movement._

_She’s armed, I’m not. Her brown chaps connect with her crimson overlong belt, where she keeps her weapons: a pair of dual-wielded pistols, a blade attached to each of them. She probably has a good approach to close combat. That said, since I’m not entirely sure what her approach is, I prod._

_“What? Am I allowed to have dinner this time?”_

_She glares at me, red eyes locked with mine. I know she doesn’t like me; she’s always looking at me with a hint of disdain. She opens her mouth, to say something witty I guess, but the raven caws at her, opening his wings. I move my hand away from him, and the dark skinned girl takes a step back._

_She huffs and crosses her arms in front of her chest. Her pair of bronze rings reflect the tiniest bit of the lonely flame lighting my tent. “Look, she wants you there, and I’m just here to bring you her message. If you’re going to continue acting like a runt, it’s your call.”_

_She took the bait, and I know she doesn’t pose a threat. I’m too exhausted to fight anyways, but at least I know she’s not the volatile type. If I know who my mom keeps at her side I might find out what her deal is._

_I stand up. The raven flies away, and the girl opens the drapes of my tent to let it fly outside. Somehow I feel she’s used to him. That makes sense, since the bird seems to be my mom’s pet._

_She holds the drapes up for me, and we exchange glances when I leave the tent. There’s a hint of something in her eyes, I can’t really figure it out. They remind me so much of my mom, maybe because they are red like hers. Still, she also feels out of place here. I make my exit and follow her to the center of the camp. There’s a sigil of a black gem perfectly sewed at the back of her red top._

_At the center of the camp a fire pit has been built, and some members of the tribe have begun to cook some fish and several types of meat around it. Almost everyone seems to be standing around the fire, waiting for something. I notice how the people who had been more distant to the fire approach the center of the camp. Their eyes start falling on me._

_The green-haired girl gestures to an empty spot in front of the fire for me. I frown, confused as to why I’m not being guided to my mom’s tent. The girl doesn’t care, she walks somewhere else after giving me a silent instruction. I don’t follow her with my eyes for long, seeing as a bunch of people are staring at me and I’m supposed to take what I think is my place. I do that, and the dozens of eyes that were once on me now shift. I follow their gaze. I thought my mother wanted to see me, but it seems that she doesn’t plan to have a real conversation with me._

_My mother’s tent is right in front of me. It’s bigger than the rest, covered in red and black; it probably took more than 5 people to set that up. There’s also a makeshift stage. My mom walks right past it as she exits her tent, and I feel my muscles tense up. There, by her hips, are my gauntlets hanging from her belt in their bracelet form, so far away from me._

_They shift with every swing of her hips as she walks forward, taunting me. I have no idea why they are there. My mom took them from me after I passed out when she ambushed me. Since then she has been in possession of them. I never received an explanation, I just knew my gauntlets were not with me. When I realized it, shortly after waking up and being forced to follow Brennus, I panicked. I built them on my own, with a tiny bit of help from my dad, and suddenly they were gone._

_My eyes leave my weapon to focus on her again. She goes down the small wooden stairs and stops right in front of me across the large fire pit. She looks at me briefly, and, for a moment, I forget we’re not alone. I have so many questions to ask her, questions that have been at the tip of my tongue ever since I found out she existed._

_The dark skinned girl takes my mother’s right side. She appears to be annoyed, like she knows what’s about to happen. She crosses her arms over her chest and acknowledges my mother’s eyes on her. She doesn’t respond, not even nodding. She just stares at the fire._

_“Ladies and gentlemen.” There’s something about my mom’s voice that gathers everyone’s attention. “After many years, I am pleased to announce that the newcomer everyone has been talking about is no other than my daughter, Yang, who has finally found her way here.”_

_She smiles while she gestures towards me. There it is again, the same smirk that made me feel like I was being stepped on two days ago. I feel my stomach turn into a knot, and I don’t care about everyone’s eyes being on me. I don’t know how to explain it but it makes me feel so little. I know I’m a child in the middle of a bandit camp, but that’s not it._

_“However, that does not make her a member of the tribe.” She crosses her arms over her chest. Everyone looks at her again. “If she desires to be part of the tribe, she will have to earn her place...”_

_Although her theatrics make it obvious she’s addressing the crowd, those words were directed towards me. Her crimson eyes stare right through me, as if she were challenging me. It hurts, like a blade._

_“Just like everyone else.”_

_And just like that, she has answered many questions I had._

 

 

“Yang, we’re ready,” my sister calls out, and I blink, realizing where I am.

Crimson eyes stare back at me as I keep my index and middle finger against Alden’s beak. I’m not sure for how long I’ve been prodding the raven—he does seem a little annoyed, and also concerned. I don’t know how a bird can look concerned but here we are.

“Really ready? ‘Cause I don’t see Weiss.” I put my hand down, leaving Alden alone. I look down and find the piece of paper I was writing on next to an abandoned pen I borrowed not long ago.

“She was… uh… I guess re-checking our room? She always thinks we’re forgetting something.” My sister shrugs. “What'cha you doing?”

I smile as she approaches, and pick up the pen I had been previously using. “I’m sendin’ Raven a message, to see if her people have been in contact with any of Torchwick’s goons.” I make sure I wrote down everything I wanted to before I sign the note. Afterwards, I leave the pen aside to roll the piece of paper up.

“I thought no postal service delivers to them,” Ruby points out, slightly sarcastic.

“Nah, pretty sure Shay D. would kick their butt and take all their stuff.” I gesture towards Alden and he offers his left foot. I stick the small note into the tiny tube attached to his leg. “My cranky buddy here is goin’ to help me with this.”

Alden puts his foot down and slightly opens his wings, trying to appear threatening towards me. Ruby snickers, and Alden wastes no more time. He knows where to take the message, so without the need of me giving him an order he takes off.

“He seems nice.” Ruby smiles as he watches him fly away.

“That’s because you just met him. Trust me, if you knew…” The words I was about to say suddenly fade from my mind. I find myself staring at my sister, unconsciously trying to figure out how much she has changed in three years. My eyes suddenly trace the once childish features that have turned into something more mature. The way her chin and lips remind me of Summer, how her smile is almost the same as dad’s, yet her jawline is much more delicate than I remember; in fact, even the curve of her nose is more refined. She looks more like a woman than a kid now.

_How much did I miss?_

The realization hits me like a truck. My 13-year-old sister is now a teenager, wearing a combat skirt instead of boy shorts, using a pair of platform boots she would have been unable to walk on three years ago. _Did I miss that awkward phase when she didn’t know what clothes fitted her? Was I not there to cheer her up during her first period and feed her criminal amounts of chocolate?_

My stomach turns, and Weiss’s words echo in my mind. _Why did I leave my sister?_ All these years, I thought I had done the right thing, that I had to train so I wouldn’t fail my sister again like I did before. I wanted to know who Raven was, and being apart from my family for so long was the price.

“Yang?” Ruby raises a brow. “You alright?”

I chuckle and roll the pen between my fingers. “Yeah, I was just thinkin’… Maybe after all this is done, I can take you to hunt some Grimm like we used to… And maybe teach you how to draw portraits. How does that sound?”

Ruby smiles. “That’d be cool. I wanna show you all the new tricks I’ve learned, even the ones I haven’t shown uncle Qrow yet!” Her smile turns mischievous with the latter.

Even with that answer I still know I’ve failed her. I try to fight it but I fail miserably. I just can’t sit there and say something as shallow as that, not after everything. I sigh and stand up, leaving the pen on the table. I hug her, trying not to crush her with my strength. She seems taken aback at first, but after a moment she returns the hug. I press my cheek against the top of her head, and she hides her face against my shoulder.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” I whisper against her hair. There’s a knot in my throat, even though I managed to say what I wanted.

Silence falls for a brief moment, and with every second that passes it hurts me even more. A thousand thoughts run through my head, and every one of them is about my sister. Still Ruby manages to speak, forehead pressed against my shoulder: “You don’t have to apologize. I know you needed that.”

I embrace her tighter, and I hear her grunt, complaining about my strength. I snort and let her go when I feel it’s enough. I pat the top of her head just like Qrow does. She looks at me, and at the same time I think she’s look at something else, like she’s looking right through me.

“I promise I’ll always be there for you.”

Ruby blinks, then smiles at me because she knows I mean it, and I do as well. Even though she’s right I don’t want to leave her side. _Who made her this smart while I was gone?_ I’m kidding, she has always been a smart kid.

Still, I feel something while she looks at me. Even as she smiles I get the feeling that she’s holding something back and I can’t exactly say what—or maybe I know and I’m not ready to face it yet. I don’t think an apology is all that Ruby needs, but she doesn’t add anything else.

Someone clears their throat and we both turn to find Weiss with her white feed bag in hand. Zwei comes walking calmly next to her and keeps staring at the girl in awe.

“I hate to interrupt, but I do believe someone’s waiting for us.”

She’s not wrong. Ruby puts her backpack on correctly, and I grab my duffle bag from one of the chairs next to the one I was using. I also pick up the pen lent to me. Now that I think about it, I should probably close the windows now that Alden’s not around; so I do. After that, the three of us plus Zwei leave the common area of the inn and head to the front desk.

A cute young faunus is helping the owner of the inn, her father, to clear some space behind the desk. She wears her hair in a silvousplaits hairstyle that really suits her, along with many of her pearl necklaces and her leather-made clothes. Her small extra ears perk up, and she smiles when she sees me. Rust moves out of the way so she can greet me.

“Thanks for the pen, and for lettin’ us stay here, even if we came and went a couple of times in just two days.” I shrug. Luckily for us, the inn was surprisingly empty, and there was no issue for us to rent a room or two.

“It’s okay, we’re glad you chose to stay with us,” Aloy responds, and she looks at her father for approval. The bull faunus doesn't seem to be very happy about what they were doing just now, but nods and finishes organizing a pile with tax related documents... or receipts, I’m not sure which. He doesn’t seem too excited about them. “I hope you have good luck in your mission, I’m glad someone was able to help you guys.”

“Yeah, they were really helpful,” Ruby says with excitement as she walks alongside Weiss. The Atlesian seems to be avoiding any sort of social interaction, trying to make Ruby leave as soon as possible.

“I still can’t believe we had a criminal group set camp at the outskirts of town.” Rust shakes his head.

“I don’t think they’ll be comin’ back soon. The watchmen took care of the guys we captured yesterday, and all the stolen merch has been impounded,” I offer a simple explanation since I can see Weiss trying to slip away from the corner of my eye. We have to do something about that girl soon. “Anyways, thanks again guys. See ya!”

Aloy tucks a lock of her bright red hair behind her right human ear and waves us off next to her father. The bull faunus decides to wave as well a second later. Ruby returns the gesture while voicing a goodbye; her partner remains silent, like she's ignoring Aloy and Rust's presence.

The place Blake picked yesterday is not far from where we were staying. It doesn’t look expensive, actually: the structure of the small building is entirely made of wood, with some bricks making up half of the walls. The big red sign on top of the roof reads in white letters: _Pete’s_.

Zwei sits by the door, used to staying outside of most shops since it’s hard to find any that are pet friendly. However, I notice that the sign proudly hanging next to the front door reads: _“No pets allowed. No faunus allowed.”_ I wrinkle my nose. Ruby and Weiss don’t seem to notice it, or if they do, they just ignore it. I bite my bottom lip and follow them inside.

A small bell attached to the top of the doorframe announces our entrance, and we are greeted by one of the employees. Ruby politely refuses his assistance since someone is already waiting for us. I would, however, like to speak with the prick who owns this place, but like Weiss said before: someone is waiting for us.

It does take us more than we expected to spot Blake. When we do (or rather when I do) find her, we walk almost all the way to the back of the restaurant. She was almost hidden within shadows, and the fact that she’s dressed mostly in white and black doesn’t really help. Still, her amber eyes catch my attention.

Blake is sitting in a booth. She has a small cup of tea in front of her as she leans against the wall slightly. Her beautiful eyes are scanning the pages of a book. The cover is all purple except for the title that reads: _The Marquise de Merteuil_. It looks fancy, like really fancy, which is odd. I mean, Weiss is all too elegant to be a regular huntress, but a book that looks that expensive and secretive makes me wonder what kind of person Blake is.

“Hi, Blake.” Golden eyes leave the book to find mine. I swear I see her bow twitch. Usually, when approaching someone this hot, I’d have the right pick-up line in my sleeve. When she puts her book down, she expects me to follow my greeting with something, so I lick my lips and say: “Uh, sorry, you’re so beautiful you made me forget my pick-up line.”

She smiles at me, quite amused by my approach at the situation. She closes the book and places it beside her tea. “It’s nice to see you again, Yang.” After acknowledging me, she slightly bows to my teammates. “Weiss, Ruby.”

“Hi!” Ruby offers her a smile and slides on the opposite side of the booth to Blake.

I’m about to sit next to my sister when Weiss says, “I hope we didn’t make you wait.”

Although I’m not surprised that the Atlesian doesn’t want to share a seat with the same girl she was so opposed to work with, I just realized the three of us were going to seat further away from her. I don’t want Blake to feel like an outsider. After all, she barely knows us, and if she’s going to be working with us she better feel comfortable.

“Not at all, I hope it doesn’t bother you that I asked for something to drink,” she replies in a friendly tone. Weiss just stares at her. She feels distant, like she’s measuring something.

I sit next to Blake and cross my legs at my ankles. Without hesitation I pick up the small menu by the center of the table and read all the options available. I feel like having some good ol’ pancakes before heading out to another town.

“The amount of time we’ll be here depends on how much information you have,” Weiss states. I can feel her stare behind the menu. She’s sitting across from me.

“Uh… Weiss, we didn’t have breakfast before we left,” Ruby pleads.

“Well, I’m pleased to inform you that I do possess information that will be of interest to the team.” Blake’s tone remains calm, almost monotone.

“You can’t start the day with an empty stomach.” I hand my sister the menu and smile at her partner, defiant. “Also, if we come here and have a tiny chit chat, it might raise some questions from the people around us. As far as we know, cousin Roman has many friends.”

Weiss sighs, and Ruby hands her the menu.

“So, first things first: how long have you been chasing our… cousin? Cousin,” Ruby hesitates for a brief moment.

“A year or so. He started small, and by _he_ I don’t mean him personally. Your cousin always seems to hire some thugs to do the dirty work, and originally it meant destroying shops, making it seem like it was only vandalism,” Blake explains.

“But that was only a cover up,” I interject, and beckon to the nearest waiter for him to take out order.

“Precisely.” Blake waits for the waiter to leave before continuing. “Since most of the attacks were often attributed to extremist groups or gangs, the police force or the local rangers of the towns barely looked into it.”

“You can say the Vacuan police force if you want, we already know,” Weiss jabbed, and I bite my tongue. She really doesn’t want Blake to work with us, and she knows that pointing out the fact that she is from another kingdom in unfriendly territory is basically asking for an attack.

The waiter returns with Ruby’s warm milk and cookies, Weiss’s coffee and cupcake, and my strawberry smoothie and delicious pancakes. The table is dead quiet for what seems like an eternity, and I quickly try to think of a way to break the tension.

“How could you...?” Blake cocks a brow at Weiss.

“Your weapon… it’s kind of a dead give away.” I shrug. “I think that’s just a _cuttin’_ remark, not just a _stab_ in the dark.”

Ruby groans, and Weiss closes her eyes, inhaling sharply. It seems to have worked, and I let a sigh of relief escape my lips.

“You don’t have worry about us. After all, weren’t Vale and Vacuo allies during the war? I’m sure a little help from old friends won’t hurt to catch a criminal now, right?” Ruby shrugs, holding her glass of milk with both hands.

Blake looks to the three of us silently. Her eyes linger on Weiss a little bit longer. “You don’t have a problem working with someone from another kingdom?” With Weiss’s snappy attitude and my wonderful sense of humor, I bet she can’t really know what’s going on with us.

“We just want all the cards to be on the table,” Weiss says, to my surprise, and takes a sip of her coffee.

Blake, again, looks at her for a while, then takes a deep breath. “Fine, you are right. The Vacuan police didn’t give the attacks too much attention, and that’s why no official investigation was opened. You also should consider that the kingdom doesn’t have a strong military force. Us hunters are the only real protection it has, and we try to work together with the police, it’s just that anarchy groups aren’t exactly our specialty.”

“But something caught your eye—about the attacks, I mean,” Ruby says. “Something that the police didn’t notice.”

Blake smiles. “Yes, actually, something really small that you don’t realize until you really think about it.” She sits up straight, and after taking a sip of her tea, interlaces her fingers together. “What made you connect all the robberies related to your cousin in the first place?”

“Same modus operandi,” Weiss replies instead of my sister, interrupting that small connection they both had. She furrows her brows. “A group of young men, dressed in formal attire, enter shops and harass the owner into giving them specific items late at night when there are no customers in sight.”

“They carry guns usually, and if they attack a merchant, they always use a car with a dark paint job. They park the vehicle right in the merchant’s way and ask them to leave everything behind. Even if it’s on a dirt road,” Ruby adds.

“Okay, now tell me, what do they usually steal?” Blake smirks.

Weiss shakes her head. “Usually any random valuables they have. Torchwick is a merchant, so he’s likely just stealing things to resell at a higher price.” She seems confident at her answer but then notices that Blake is still staring at her, amber eyes expecting something else.

Weiss opens her mouth again to say something but quickly closes it. She’s probably mentally making a list of every element she can recall being reported as stolen. I wish I could add something, but I’ve barely got into the case.

“Weapons, gold, antics, that one old weapon with fire Dust infuser, plushies, clothes….” Ruby thinks out loud for a moment until she stops. Her eyes go wide. “Dust! He always takes the Dust, and he asked his assistant to make sure they separate the boxes containing Dust from the rest of the goods! He specifically said that!” My sister turns to Weiss and then to Blake with a smile.

The Vacuan nods. “Your cousin seems to be quite fixated on Dust. At first, Dust shops were attacked in smaller numbers, but the description of the criminals was always almost the same. Then it was the merchants: among the goods taken away from them, Dust always made the list.”

“Are you implying that he’s stealing small amounts of Dust all over Vale and Vacuo?” Weiss asks.

“Why doesn’t he just strike all the Dust shops at once, or the Vacuan mines?” I lean over the table.

“Because, if suddenly his shops are the only ones with Dust available, it would draw too much attention,” Blake explains. “You are not wrong about him being a merchant, I’ve seen goods being resold, but he’s careful to build a shortage to such a valuable resource without attracting as much attention as possible.”

“Dust is already hard to get by in Vale, with no legal tradin’ routes between territories with good mines. It’s not hard to see why he’s optin’ for that type of business plan.” I finish my pancakes. “Have to hand it to the guy, it’s pretty smart to take advantage of a post-war economy.”

Weiss huffs, and I’m not sure why.

Blake is studying Weiss closely. Her breathtaking golden eyes rest on the Atlesian as she waits for someone to break the silence. Blake looks satisfied; she takes a sip of her tea, almost finishing it.  She waits. Although I should probably pay more attention to Weiss and question her reaction to my comment, I don’t.

“I’ve shared the information I have gathered like I promised, I trust you will be willing to work with me.”  from the corner of my eye, I catch it, the way a smirk tugs at Blake’s lips. It feels like she’s getting a kick out of surprising Weiss with a piece of information so valuable and that was right under her nose, it boosts her ego. Still, she’s so subtle about it I almost feel like I’m seeing things.

Weiss furrows her brows momentarily before exchanging glances with Ruby. It’s not after my sister slightly nods, finishing her glass of milk, that Weiss reaches into her small bag to grab the map and the small piece of paper that completes the information. She carefully opens the map on the table, and I move my strawberry milkshake out of the way to give her more space. I lean over to get a better view.

“We are here,” Weiss points to the town we’re at with one hand, and then drags her finger to the map to the appropriate coordinate on the small note handwritten by the pilot. “I believe we would be able to locate some sort of helicopter landing area if we were to venture deeper into the woods in that direction.”

Weiss looks at Blake as she leans over the table. My left shoulder is touching hers, and I’m tempted to look at her and how perfectly her bangs frame her face. There’s just something about her that draws me in.

“These locations represent some of the towns Ruby and I already investigated. Although we didn’t seem to follow Roman’s trail as closely as we thought, here’s the confirmation that we weren’t that far off.” Weiss points to four different coordinates on the note and then on the map. They are all located south-west from Vale, several days apart from each other. “Now, although I have deciphered which are the next three towns he will be visiting, it won’t be possible for us to reach any other than the first one without a vehicle, so…”

“We’re going to Kuroyuri,” Ruby finishes for Weiss, and ignores her partner’s glare. “It’s two days away from here, three tops.” She looks at me for confirmation and I nod; she makes one of her hands into a fist to celebrate her small victory.

Weiss sighs. “Precisely. Which is why the sooner we leave this place the better. According to Ruby, Roman won’t be meeting his contact today, or tomorrow, since they are coming from far away. The best thing we can do is leave as soon as we’re done with breakfast.”

I look at Blake with a smirk on my face: the fact that Weiss decided to share this information with her means that she is “allowed” to be part of the team, albeit temporarily. I’ve been waiting to go on an adventure ever since I left Raven’s camp, and this just keeps getting better. The more the merrier, so the saying goes.

Blake takes one last sip of her tea, and takes her time before she swallows. “I’m ready if you are.”

She and Weiss exchange glances. Although I can already feel Ruby wanting to break the tension by saying something friendly and pushing Weiss out of the way so we can get moving, Weiss is the one who speaks:

“Don’t you want to discuss the reward for finding their ‘cousin’?”

Blake gestures for me to move, and I get off the booth without a problem. I put my duffle bag on my shoulder as she stands next to me, book in hand and small backpack on.

“If we continue talking we’ll waste precious time,” she replies coolly. “I’m okay with discussing that later, all I want is for their cousin to be safe and sound.”

Ruby smiles and finally pushes Weiss off the booth before she can make some sarcastic remark or continue playing Blake’s game. I snicker at that, and let my sister continue convincing her partner to move forward and stop being such a pain in the ass (my words, not hers. Ruby is actually really nice to Weiss). As I watch them leave, I pay for the bill and find Blake waiting for me a couple of feet away. Once I join her, we can say goodbye to Pete’s.

I still wish we had more time, because once I’m closer to the front door I’m reminded of the stupid sign hanging proudly on display for any potential customer to see. But, like I said before, we don’t have time for that. I can’t believe Rust and Aloy have to deal with assholes like these in their own town, the mere thought makes my blood b—

Blake jumps behind me, horrified. She lets out this tiny cry, as if she’d just suppressed the noise as soon as it formed in her throat.

Zwei barks happily at Ruby as my sister messes with him. Weiss is next to her, arms crossed, about to tell Ruby to behave when they both notice Blake’s behaviour. I look behind my shoulder only to find Blake paralyzed behind me, her eyebrows knit together as she stares at the corgi in front of us.

“What is that?”

“A dog?” Weiss stares at her, bewildered, almost offended.

“He’s a valuable member of team WRY, WYR, WYRZ? Uh—He’s Zwei!” Ruby picks our dog up and hugs him from behind. She takes a couple of steps forward and I feel Blake moving back. I don’t understand how this woman, who looked so confident just a few seconds ago, now seems to be taking up as little space as possible.

I see it in her eyes, and I’m astounded to even find it: she’s looking for a running strategy. She seriously feels this threatened by a dog whose legs are so short it made me laugh when I was a kid. A dog so friendly and smart he’d never hurt a fly (unless that fly had it coming).

“He’s harmless.” Ruby realizes Blake’s scared and stops moving towards us.

“Unless you pose a threat to us.” Weiss seems to gain the upper hand, and she smiles at Blake with malice. She moves her hands to her hips. I swear on all the Dust on Remnant, _what is it with her today?_

“Hey, Blake, it’s cool. Zwei isn’t goin’ to bite you,” I try to reassure her. I place a hand on her shoulder. She tenses up for a moment before she relaxes. I gesture to Ruby to move further away and she does.

Blake takes a deep breath. “It’s okay. I’m not particularly fond of dogs. If he keeps his distance, it will be okay.”

“Oh, yeah, don’t worry, he’s trained.” Ruby smiles and lets Zwei down. “You’re going to behave, mister. Although you may like our new friend, she’s not familiar with you. You’ll have to stay with me and Weiss, okay?”

Zwei sits, barks at my sister, and wags his tail, confirming that he understood what Ruby just told him.

“See, everything’s cool. You don’t have anythin’ to worry about.”

“I surely hope so,” Blake breathes out, and I swear I see her bow twitch. She’s just so pretty, I’m imagining things.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did u catch that Horizon Zero Dawn reference?


	12. Keep your friends close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I heard you like battle sequences.  
> (Keep an eye out for a Dragon Age n Avatar reference)
> 
> Thanks to my bae (http://outrotearsupremacist.tumblr.com) for correcting my grammar mistakes.

“So, they act like dogs?”

“Not really, they do make a shit ton of noise when someone they don’t know gets near the camp, but—”

“Like a dog,” my sister concludes again. We exchange glances and she laughs. “I know it’s not the same _same_ , but they do seem to have a lot of things in common with dogs from what you’re saying. Plus, your mom kinda trained an army of them.”

I giggle. “They’re not an army; she has like seven, countin’ Alden, and they do more than just makin’ noise when they see a stranger. They’re used for scoutin’ and other things.”

Ruby doesn’t seem to be listening to me anymore. Although she was really interested in knowing why I have a pet bird all of a sudden, the conversation turned into something else. She suddenly gasps and says, “Imagine an army of Zweis.”

Blake shudders.

“An army of crows would be more useful; they can fly, Zwei can’t,” I counter. Ruby looks back at me with a pout, and I respond with a mischievous smile. I get what she’s trying to do, and I agree with her. We should twist our conversation on purpose. “I bet Weiss wouldn’t be opposed to an army of Zweis, though.”

The Atlesian doesn’t look back at me when she says, “I’d love the idea of having more useful and wonderful companions like Zwei around over someone who won’t stop making puns and being an insufferable child. However, I don’t think the team requires any more of them.”

“Yeah, Zwei can do anything, and you haven’t even seen him on fire.” Ruby snickers. She looks at Zwei, who’s happily walking ahead of them, then back at me. A second pair of eyes lands on my sister.

“What did you do to him?” Weiss scolds her.

“It only happened twice!” Ruby tries to defend herself, lifting her shoulders up.

“Twice?” Blake asks, stealing the words from Weiss’s mouth, who was just ready to yell at my sister for hurting her favorite being in the world.

Amber eyes rest on me, waiting for an answer, and I sigh. “Dad, Rubes, and I were playin’ baseball in our backyard. Dad was the pitcher, I was at the bat, and Ruby wanted to steal base, but my dad was keeping an eye on her, so she couldn’t really do anything. When he threw the ball at me, I decided to hit a home run but… Zwei kinda went for the ball and I hit him instead.”

“You hit him!”

“It was an accident! He got in the way and I was already swingin’, you can’t really stop half way.” I shrug. Weiss is trying to set me on fire with a glare. “He was fine, he flew for like a mile and a half. When Rubes found him he was not on fire anymore.”

Weiss closes her eyes and shakes her head disapprovingly. I think she believes the ridiculous scenario we’ve described. I can hear her thoughts from over here, complaining about us and our silly ways of spending quality family time.

“He was fine. He’s fine. Look at him.” I try to distract Weiss by reassuring her about the wellbeing of my dog.

“So, the first time it happened was an accident… What about the second time?” Blake breaks her silence once again.

_Dammit, Blake._

“We thought it was cool, and since Zwei was okay, we wanted to…” Ruby doesn’t even need to finish her sentence. Weiss is already at her throat again, and all the mumbling coming from my sister turns into an elongated apology. It’s funny to see them argue like the first time they were together. The scene oddly reminds me of the time at the cave when Ruby was trying to start a fire and Weiss insisted on using Dust she didn’t have. Three years have passed and some things don’t seem to change. They look like an old married couple.

Blake chuckles beside me, and I focus on her and her only. Hearing that noise coming from someone this silent and physically attractive is delightful. I’m always cracking jokes but right now I realize that I really want to make her laugh.

The Vacuan tries to hide her smile behind one of her hands. She turns to me, just noticing I’m staring at her. She cocks a brow, a little surprised that I’ve shifted my attention from the two girls arguing towards her. Even if something like a smile is not that interesting, it’s the fact that she’s the owner of it that captivates me. We’ve been walking through the woods for several hours already, and although there was no time devoid of conversation, Blake rarely added anything.

“Do you have dogs on Vacuo?” I ask the first thing that crosses my mind to not make things awkward.

Blake knits her eyebrows together. “Well, some people may own terriers or whippets, a doberman even, but it’s not really my area of expertise.” She shrugs. Considering that she doesn’t like dogs, she probably avoids them. “Do you, perhaps, want to know about crows as well?”

I smile and decide to humor her. “Well, are there any?”

“The animal, no, there aren’t any. The kingdom is far too hot for them,” she smiles back at me. “There is, however, a mercenary group called The Crows that is widely known among the kingdom. If you need to get someone taken care of, you might want to call them.” Her lips turn into a wicked smile after she says that.

“Unfortunately, they are not good with Grimm, which is entirely counterintuitive if you live in Vacuo.”

“Can we _please_ stop naming kingdoms,” Weiss hisses. Somehow my conversation with Blake is no longer ours. It wasn’t private to begin with, but now I feel reassured to know that Weiss’s bad mood is due to her distrust of Blake for being from another kingdom rather than who Blake is as a person.

Even if the tension between the two has been at an all time low, the negative emotions Weiss is still holding within herself make me a little worried. Ruby chose to deviate from the safest path to get where we need to faster, but that comes at a price: forests are usually infected with Grimm, and here I am, hoping we don’t get delayed by an encounter with them.

“It’s because the kingdom doesn’t have an army, right?” Ruby asks, avoiding naming the kingdom to respect her partner’s wishes.

“Yes, but most of us are trained to be hunters by necessity rather than choice. Usually, you learn to defend yourself after a surprise attack or two,” Blake explains, oddly calmed by the scenario she’s painting.

“So what was yours?”

“Pardon?” Blake stares at my sister in confusion.

“You said you guys train to be huntsmen by necessity, so...” Ruby intertwines her fingers behind her back, directly behind the folded Crescent Rose. “When were you attacked?”

“Ah.” Blake nods. I see Weiss looking at her from the corner of her eye while pretending to be looking straight ahead. The Vacuan continues, “I was about six, and I thought it would be a good idea to follow one of my friends to see his dad at the mines. Unfortunately, a group of Boarbatusks spotted us and by mere chance a group of miners were able to rescue us.”

“Damn, I can’t imagine how scared you must have been back then,” I say, like the deep and well-versed adult that I am.

“Language.” Even if Weiss is pretending not to be paying attention, she can’t help herself.

“Like, one time Ruby and I got attacked by an Ursa while we were trainin’. I was scared and I was thirteen back then!” I continue, ignoring Weiss’s remark. Although Qrow and dad never left us alone at the cabin, when we got older they did let us wander off a little. “I can’t imagine being ambushed by a group of Grimm while being a kid.”

“An Ursa sounds worse than a group of Boarbatusks,” Blake shrugs. “I think I ran into the best scenario at the time, if it had been Lancers, I’d be dead. They are evil in its purest form.”

“Lancers? Dad says those are only nearby Mistral,” Ruby looks at me, bewildered, expecting me to have received a Grimm studies lesson from Raven while I was away.

“You can also find them in the desert. They often take hollowed mountains to make their hives. They are quite tricky to kill, and trying to take a hive on your own would be a very stupid decision,” Blake explains. “Even if I learned how to fight Grimm later, I was always told to avoid them, so I did.”

“So would you go as far as to say that you got a _pho-bee-a_?” I make some finger guns at Blake. She frowns at me, offended.

“Yang, no, please,” my sister begs.

“Come on, sis, don’t be such a _buzz_ kill.” I smile at her.

“Yang, they’re getting worse.” This time it’s Blake who complains.

“Ouch, Blake, that _stings_!” My smile grows wider, even if I mockingly pretend to be hurt.

“Make it stooooop!” Ruby covers her ears.

I laugh. “But, I’m just gettin’ warmed up! These puns are barely _wingin’_ it!”

“Yang, _hive_ had enough of your puns.”

Our eyes go wide. The three of us look at each other totally confused. Ruby’s jaw hangs open, and I’ve never seen Blake this expressive, even when I was about to attack her back then. It’s almost as if Weiss had broken an expensive vase, shattering it into a million pieces, and we were there to witness it. Slowly we turn to Weiss, the _bee_ -utiful ice queen, who’s just made a pun right in front of us.

She’s pouting, head held high and arms crossed, pretending to be so above all our childish _bee_ -havior when she just made the unthinkable. It doesn’t take long for me to start laughing my ass off at the situation. This is amazing. I can’t believe the princess finally gave in.

“Weiss… what have you done… ” my sister breathes out, making me laugh even harder. Her tone of utter _bee_ -trayal makes everything even sweeter. Maybe even as sweet as honey. _What? Was that too much?_

“I got her to stop, didn’t I?” she says, offended.

“I’d hardly call that a victory.” Blake shakes her head.

I’m still laughing, almost falling behind, but I quickly catch up to them. While wheezing, I finally manage to speak again, “Weiss, please marry me.”

She takes a sharp intake of air and looks behind towards me, blushing furiously. “What?!”

“Come on, Weiss! That was hilarious, imagine the things we could do together! A complete pun-pocalypse! We could reign the world!” I extend my hand towards her, presenting my tantalizing offer.

“No.” She doesn’t even hesitate.

“Why must you hurt me like this?”

“Because I just made a pun. I don’t want to cause Ruby any more pain that she already has to endure having you as a sister.” She crosses her arms over her chest. Even if she turns to my sister, waiting for some sort of approval, Ruby just stares at her, bewildered.

Weiss huffs. “And don’t even get me started on Taiyang.”

“Oh, please, my dad’s jokes are top notch! I learned from the best.” I still remember the look in my father's eyes. It was just as if he had discovered the secret to immortality or the world's largest treasure. He just picked me up, raised me to the skies and said I was a worthy daughter of his. Qrow slammed his face against a desk, clearly knowing what his demise looked like.

“It’s bad enough I’ve to deal with your pestiferous uncle,” Weiss remarked, regaining some of her composure. “Your dad is far from being a comedian, and dad jokes are truly the lowest form of comedy that exists.”

I fake a gasp. “But Weiss, that’s what I aspire to be. How could you—”

“Guys.” Blake’s tone is sharp, oddly commanding.

I turn to her, just like my sister and her partner. She’s bending her knees slightly, and her right hand is close to the hilt of her weapon. Her left slightly open, ready to move quickly and respond to her momentum. Her bow is tied tightly against her head, and her amber eyes pierce through the foliage like it’s nothing. She’s alert, the weight of her body on the tip of her toes.

“There’s something else here.”

I look around me, my eyes quickly scanning the bushes and trees in our proximity as I get in a fighting position as well. There’s an eerie feeling I can’t shake off, so I activate Ember Celica and bring my fists up. I’m still looking for whatever Blake noticed, but failing to do so.

“Something? What are you even talking about? If there were Grimm close by, Zwei would—” Weiss stops herself when she notices that the corgi has long stopped sniffing the ground as he walked forwards. The dog is emitting a low grumble from the bottom of his belly, his four legs slightly bent as he looks at a bush with intent.

My sister and Weiss both get their weapons out. Ruby waves Crescent Rose around to get used to its weight again before moving it behind her. She keeps her free arm in front of her, to balance the weight. Weiss quickly makes Myrteneaster’s chamber spin around until she finds the appropriate Dust vial to use. She also takes her fencing stance. Silence falls among the four of us, except for that low almost inaudible grumble coming from Zwei.

The bad feeling doesn’t fade away, and it’s even worse by our lack of banter, but we’re there, back to back, ready to strike. It’s in moments like this, when everyone gets an adrenaline rush, that the reason that put us in this position to begin with fails to make an appearance, making it worse.

All it takes is a quick and deafening sound of some leaves rustling.

I fire my gauntlets at the ground close to my feet, using the impulse to launch myself forward. I land in front of the giant Beringel that has given away its position. It came charging towards me, now raises its arms high and brings its enormous fists down.

My hands capture its wrists. A gust of air makes my hair wave behind me, and a thin layer of dust is perfectly cleaned from our area.

“I’m sad that you had to ruin a perfect atmosphere by pullin’ such an em- _bear_ -rasing move.” I hold the Beringel in place, cracking a grin at it, even if it doesn’t understand a word I’m saying. It just roars as it attempts to move its arms and free itself from my grasp. Any other human would be crushed by this Grimm’s strength, but not everyone is forced into fighting Grimm with their bare hands to have dinner while training with a bandit tribe.

“Yang, I swear to—!” I turn to look at Weiss, who I managed to annoy more than usual.

Instead, I can see my sister from the corner of my eyes. She folded her weapon into her rifle form, and she’s now firing at the wave of Beowolves coming our way. “Yang, Blake, fight in pairs. We gotta get rid of them quickly before more come!”

 _Shit_ , _she’s right._

Weiss doesn’t have time to scold me because she’s dealing with Grimm on her own. Apparently, my puns and teasing weren’t enough to disperse the negative energy falling on the Atlesian, or maybe we were just destined to fight these creatures right from the start. Whatever the answer to that might be, the Beringel is pushing me down, closing its claws around my wrist. Ember Celica protects me, but I can’t waste more time holding into it like I’ve been doing.

Three Ursai are heading my way. They are coming from my right. I press against the Beringel’s hands, breaking its wrists as I do, and I turn to look at the enemies coming at me. I can already think of a joke to _crack_ after I throw this massive and heavy Grimm at them, but out of nowhere a katana is thrown at one of the Ursai. The dark blade cuts through a Ursa’s head, and as soon as the creature gets hit, someone pulls the black ribbon attached to it. The creature falls back and their attacker launches themselves forward.

Blake’s killer form comes into view, and my eyes can barely follow her movements. She uses the impulse to use the sheath of her weapon, hitting the second Ursa without a problem. Then she spins around in the air, bringing her katana back to her. She uses the ribbon to guide the blade, slicing through the third Grimm. She gracefully lands on the floor and pulls on the black lace again to bring her katana to her hand.

If I wasn’t busy, my jaw would be on the floor, but instead, I use all my strength to change the direction I’m throwing the Beringel at. I manage to throw it just above Blake, her ribbon untouched by the gigantic ape body of the Grimm before it lands against a tree, breaks a trunk, and fades into the air.

“Y’know, I could’ve taken them.” I roll my shoulders back since they feel sore, and then place my hands on my hips.

“Oh, I know.” Blake smiles at me. It’s cocky, flirty even.

“Guys, watch your backs.” My sister’s commanding voice draws me back as I open my mouth to flirt back.

While Blake engages a couple of more Grimm on her proximity, I turn to punch another Beowolf right in the face. Then I slam my fist down on another Beowolf’s head. I turn on my heels, using my momentum, and fire my left gauntlet to impulse my shoulder back against the same Grimm.

I’m facing Blake again, and my eyes follow her around like a sunflower follows the sun. She moves fast, and with such precision it’s hypnotizing. She somehow manages to keep herself in the air, as much as she can, by using Grimms as landing platforms or by attaching her weapon to a target or a tree and pulling herself side to side with the black lace. It reminds me of a very skilled acrobat, and she has no clue she makes my heart turn into a circus.

She flicks her wrists and uses the sheath of her weapon as a second sword. Watching her fight is a spectacle on itself. She shifts her katana into its pistol form and throws it against a group of Grimm. Once she begins firing, she uses her bow to guide her gun around herself, covering a decent area. She moves her hands like Ruby using her scythe, but instead of moving a heavy weapon, she commands her gun with deadly and playful accuracy. She adds that to her moveset, and once again, she jumps to gain the upper hand, maneuvering her ribbon from the air. It’s oddly electrifying.

That’s when I see it, the hole in her form, _literally_ speaking. A Beowolf gets close to her, and I know exactly where I fit. I finish with the last Grimm that has come my way while I was analyzing Blake’s moves and use Ember Celica to impulse myself. I slide right into position.

While Blake is above me, swinging her weapon around and slicing through the enemies on my sides, I take out the Beowolf that was waiting for my partner to get down. I land an uppercut on the bottom of his snout and punch it on the stomach. It bends down, allowing me to see its little friend behind him. To get rid of them at the same time I bring my fists together into the Grimm’s stomach and fire my gauntlets to send the Beowolf flying against the other one.

“I could have taken them.” Blake lands behind me. We’re back to back.

I bring my fists up again. “Oh, I know. I think I’ve figured out your style. Just keep going, I’ll charge head on.”

Blake notices my confident smile and nods. She jumps once more. This time she uses her katana and her sheath to fight the Grimm left. She takes the flanks and the strays that try to get behind us. I, on the other hand, punch my way through our front and those who dare to stand diagonally from me.

Punch, punch, elbow and uppercut. Like a dance, I continue moving forward, grasping the rhythm of the fight, and Blake does the same. She uses her weapon with deadly precision, careful not to slice any strand of my precious hair, but making sure to end any Grimm that approach me.

When we both think we’re done, we spot an Ursa trying to rush into Weiss and Ruby, who are still getting rid of the last Grimm of the horde. I act quickly, distancing myself from Blake. She hesitates for a second between calling out for them or for me.

When I’m a few feet away from my partner I wave at her. “Blake!”

She slices through the last Beowolf, and her eyes go wide as soon as she realizes it. There’s no hesitation: she throws her weapon at me, and I grab the katana. I stab a tree’s trunk with the blade, making sure to sink the blade enough, and make eye contact with my partner.

Blake pulls on the ribbon, stretching it as much as she can.

The Ursa walks right into our trap, and its body slams against the black lace. Blake is strong, and the recoil only draws the Grimm back against the direction it came from. We don’t let it get back up. I throw Blake her weapon back and we both fire at the Ursa, killing it.

Her thick honey eyes find me with a hint of curiosity and interest. I retract Ember Celica to their bracelet form, and Blake shifts her gun into a katana again. She rests her weight on one leg, probably amused at my ability to complement her fighting style that easily.

There’s like sparks between us, I get goosebumps. Maybe it’s the adrenaline rush coming from the fight, maybe it’s the way she looks at me.

“We make a good team, huh?” I give her a cocky grin.

She raises a brow, and I think she’s going to make a snarky remark, but my sister interrupts us:

“Oh my gosh! That was so cool!”

Blake turns to her, confusion written all over her face as my little sister approaches her with stars in her eyes. I see her hesitating for a second, even considering taking a step back. She freezes before she can put her katana away.

“And beautiful! It’s not just the Damascus steel!” When Ruby is finally more specific about what she’s talking about, Blake relaxes her shoulders and lets my sister come closer. “How did you manage to build a mechanism for the transition? The shift between the gun and the blade is so smooth!”

Blake smiles kindly and shows Ruby her katana and its sheath. Apparently her weapon is called Gambol Shroud and this is its third incarnation, seeing as the first broke into pieces after she tried to build the prototype of the shifting mechanism. The second one also broke when adding the ribbon and practicing a moveset for its new capabilities. Blake’s explanation gets a lot more technical than that, and although the building process is interesting, I think I’m more enamoured with the way her voice colors the words coming from her mouth than the actual description she’s giving.

Ruby listens to her intently, clearly paying more attention than me. She asks about the small metal base Blake has on her back, and the Vacuan explains how she designed the pieces with magnets to clip the sheath into place, rather than actually figuring out a way to do so with a more rough and antiquated mechanism (her words, not mine).

“Would you stop fawning over her for once?”

I turn my head to find Weiss, arms crossed over her chest with her back straightened as much as she can, staring at me disapprovingly before her eyes lie on the chatting pair.

“What? Are you goin’ to tell me she isn’t pretty?” I chuckle. I shift my weight from one leg to another, keeping my hands on my hips as I taunt her.

She huffs. “If you stopped flirting with her at every chance you got and focused on fighting, I wouldn’t find it as irritating.” She squints her eyes, and I see more than just moodiness coming from her. She stares at Ruby as she happily blabbers about guns with Blake, but her gaze also shifts towards the latter more intensely. There’s a hint of something in that pair of blue eyes… _Envy? No, it’s something more like jealousy._

 

* * *

 

 

“You better not be fallin’ asleep on us.”

Ruby turns to me and pouts, holding Crescent Rose close. “Yang, I’ve been camping with Weiss since I was thirteen. What makes you think I can’t do it now?”

“I’m just messin’ with you.” I smile at her and walk over. She’s sitting on a hollowed tree trunk, and although I’m tempted to take a seat beside her, I don’t. We have to leave early tomorrow, so getting as many hours of sleep as possible is a must. “Dad told me a lot about your adventures with the princess. Tell me, is it true that she can’t stand Qrow?”

“Uh, well… I don’t think she can’t stand him…” She shrugs. She moves a leg over the trunk so she isn’t twisting her neck as she talks with me. “The first time uncle Qrow saw her, he... froze. Like he had seen a ghost or something. Then he squinted at her, and asked me if I had been mind-controlled into letting a pest into the house.”

“A pest?”

“Yup.” Ruby pops the p. “I was kinda weirded out about it.”

I snicker, trying to picture Weiss’s face. “What did she do?”

“Oh, she got really mad. She started questioning uncle Qrow and calling him a homeless drunk, and accusing him of being the one to sneak into people’s houses.” Ruby makes a pause. “Then uncle Qrow just put his hand on her head and pushed her away, making her even angrier, and repeated the same question.”

“And she let him do that?” I laugh, a little saddened by the fact that I was unable to witness that. I’m a hundred percent sure that Qrow was actually drunk when that happened. Maybe he realized Weiss was from Atlas. He is an experienced huntsman after all, and everything about Weiss would be a dead giveaway about her place of origin. I wonder what made him not recognize her as a threat to treat her like that.

“I—I told him to stop it, but it wasn’t until dad came in that we were able to break it off,” she sighed. “After that, uncle Qrow just kinda stared at her for a while. Then, he started calling her princess, just to tease her.”

 _Welp, that explains why Weiss might not like me calling her that_. Still, she looks and acts like a princess, it’s hard to get the image out of my head. I can picture her with a long dress and a tiara, all huddled up in a fancy fur coat that would fit her too well.

“I’m sure he knew she’s from Atlas, but he didn’t say anything about it.” Ruby rests her chin on top of Crescent Rose’s scope. She looks pensive, trying to tie some strings. “Sometimes it seems like he’s looking at someone else when he stares at her, but that’d be stupid, right?” She looks at me, looking for an answer.

I shrug. I made a promise to Weiss, and her story is hers to tell. “Maybe he has been drinking way too much now that I’m not around to hide his flask.”

“He has like four of those, y’know?”

I smile, because of course I do. As much as Ruby and I are opposed to the idea of him drinking, he won’t listen to us and continues to chug down endless amounts of alcohol. If dad and mom weren’t enough to keep him from grabbing more glasses of alcohol, I don’t think either of us can. I miss the times when we got together and dad and Qrow told us stories about their adventures. I think I can even remember mom laughing at a couple of them when dad was trying to impress me with his battle stories.

“Yang… Do you know why Weiss was so touchy today?” Ruby’s voice draws me away from my thoughts. She’s looking at me with those big silver eyes that remind me so much of Summer, but slightly tainted with concern.

I shrug. “I think she’s still on edge about Blake. I’m sure it’s nothing she won’t get over soon.” I try to give her an answer that will satisfy her, even if I know the truth goes a little bit deeper than that. By the way Ruby puts her chin on the scope again, I know that’s not enough. “You should ask her yourself. You’re partners after all.”

Ruby looks at me and smiles. “Okay, I’ll ask her tomorrow. You keep an eye on Blake for her. I think you two did great today. It’s like you understood each other in an instant, so something tells me you’ll be able to read her better than us.”

“Sure thing, Rubes. G’night.” I smile at her and wave before heading back to camp.

“Goodnight.” My sister’s voice comes out like a whisper. Her eyes linger on me as she sits back like she was doing before I disturbed her. Her figure gets clouded by darkness as I walk away from her.

It doesn’t take long for me to spot the fire I started to keep our team warm. Zwei is proudly sitting in front of the flame. He doesn’t greet me with a bark when he senses I’m close, but he cocks his head to the side to acknowledge me. I simply walk past him to grab my bedroll, neatly placed in my duffle bag next to my sister’s bag.

Weiss is flattening her own bedroll and moving things around her bag, clearly frustrated with something. I don’t want to poke that anthill at the moment, and since there’s an obvious spot between her and Blake, I decide to take it. If Weiss was more obvious at her discomfort, she’d have placed her bedroll completely opposed to Blake, but instead she simply decided to keep her distance while remaining close to the fire.

I place my bedroll on the ground and glance at Blake, who seems to like sleeping further away from the fire. Her bag is neatly placed next to her small mattress, carefully closed and ready to be picked up for a quick escape. The only other belonging that’s not kept in her bag is the book, The Marquise de Merteuil, which she keeps between her hands as she reads closely.

“Yang.”

I stop flattening my bedroll and turn to Weiss, who’s standing a couple of feet away from me. She seems distraught. She is hugging herself hesitantly as if she’s cold.

She opens her mouth and quickly closes it again. “You know what, nevermind.”

I furrow my brows and leave my stuff behind to approach her. “No, tell me. What is it?

She shakes her head slightly. She bites her lower lip, and knits her eyebrows together. Her eyes stare at the ground before they finally meet mine. “How important is it for a huntress to build her own weapon?”

I cock a brow at her. “What?”

She huffs and taps one of her feet against the ground. “You, Ruby and Blake have built your own weapons and seem to know a lot about hydraulics and mechanical engineering. I just wondered if outside of…” She takes a deep breath. “Is it a common practice in Sanus for skilled huntsmen to build their weapons?"

Weiss suddenly taking an interest in weapon design right before heading to bed can't be a good sign... _Oh. Oh, I was right! It was jealousy after all!_

I chuckle. “Weiss, do you want to impress my sister? Because you don’t have to build yourself a new weapon to get her attention.”

She blushes and straightens her arms, turning her hands into fists. “I’m not trying to impress anyone, you nitwit! I’m simply curious because I thought it was a trait of your ridiculous family. I had mine custom-made for me by a certified smith.”

I raise a brow at her and smile, making things even worse. The heat on her cheeks expands to the tip of her ears. I can’t believe she’s this easy to tease. Still, it’s really cute, and I can’t help myself. “It’s a common thing, yeah. After all, your weapon is like an extension of yourself, and who better to design it than yourself?”

Weiss purses her lips as she thinks about it.

“I really mean it though.” Her eyes flicker towards me. “If you want, I can give you one of my old books on recoil mechanisms and Dust. It’s not as complex as the one Ruby keeps on her side of the bedroom, but it’s a good start.”

She nods. “I would appreciate that, thank you.”

Even though she seems satisfied by that simple answer, something tells me that I can give her a little nudge. “You could use this opportunity to spend more time with Ruby, if you want. Why don’t you ask her to take a look at your rapier and see if she thinks it can be improved? Maybe you don’t need to make a whole new weapon after all.”

Although I meant it as teasing at first, Weiss quickly understands that my idea may not be that bad. She nods again and folds her hands together. “Thank you, I’ll think about it.”

Ruby and Weiss have a lot to talk about, and maybe they can get to that when we reach Kuroyuri. I can see that she cares deeply about my sister, and although i understand why she might be a little on edge to be so open with anyone, I don’t think she should be worrying about Ruby of all people. I smile at her and go back to my bedroll. After taking out my boots and stretching, I lay down, but instead of actually trying to sleep I lay back on my elbows to look at our companion.

Blake’s still reading her book. Her eyes seem glued to the pages as she eats the last remains of The Marquise de Merteuil. Locks of her smooth hair hug her face, and some rest on her shoulder. She lays on her side, her form beautifully outlined by the low glow of the fire. It makes it an easy target for my eyes to trace, but it's always her eyes that I find myself staring at. My mind wanders back to earlier today when I saw her fighting with such grace.

The pair of honey orbs flicker up towards me, and I’m caught red handed. “You’re staring at me.”

“Oh sorry, am I makin’ you uncomfortable?”

“Are you going to use another pick up line on me?” She smirks, and I get a kick out of it. She doesn’t close the book.

“Well, that depends. Will you be able to resist my unbelievable charm?” I smile back at her and she scoffs, pretending to be over it before it even started. Her eyes go back to the page she was reading. To be honest, I’d be totally okay with watching her while she reads.

“Would you two drop it?” Weiss scolds us from her bedroll.

“Sorry, princess, I was asking Blake for a map, since it seems I’ve lost myself in her eyes.” She frowns at me and rolls around. Although her attitude seems cold, as soon as Zwei walks over to her to cuddle she picks him up and places him next to her, making sure to keep her back on me.

Blake snickers, and my eyes go back to her. I lay on my side and rest my head on one of my palms. This time, even though I’m watching her, Blake doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. Silence falls between us, and once more I’m captured by her deep eyes and the sharp but soft features of her face. Still, it’s not long before I interrupt the moment of quiet again:

“Doesn’t it hurt your eyes?”

She furrows her brows at the question that just left my lips. I was about the compliment her eyes, and that came out instead. “What do you mean?”

“You have the cover against the fire, it must be pretty hard for you to read in the dark,” I say, fully aware that what I’ve just pointed out is far more interesting that I had originally thought. Only a faunus would be able to read like that.

“Oh.” Her eyes go wide momentarily. She moves the book down and her eyes abandon mine for a second before she meets my gaze again. “I guess I’m so used to reading before falling asleep that I’ve grown used to it.” She shrugs.

“I’ll leave you to it then, tell me how it ends.” I lay back down. It’d be really weird if Blake was a faunus, and not only because she doesn’t have any noticeable traits.

“Do you want me to spoil it to you?” She looks befuddled.

“I’m not much of a reader, but you seem to be enjoyin’ it,” I offer her a smile. Her jaw hangs slightly open, and she moves her book back up to cover part of her face. Her eyes linger on mine, as if she were trying to figure me out.

She seems to give up shortly after.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In four minutes is going to be my birthday.


	13. Shattering expectations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience, folks.  
> My friend and grammar checker is finishing college so...
> 
> No beta readers, we die like 2009 ff readers.
> 
> Shout out to the fanfic Fire and Gold by Beatonen. Go read it.

_I stretch my arm and place my hand on the best looking rock: the big pointy one that looks very attached to the rest of the slope. Once I feel like I’ve got a firm hold on it, I shift my weight and look at my feet. I got the next step figured out, so when I stretch out with my other arm to grab another boulder, I climb up._

_I’ve been doing this nonstop for the past five hours, and although I’ve built up a rhythm, I still haven’t learned the pattern by memory. It almost feels like the rocks keep moving on me. My hands hurt, and I’m getting real tired of the sun. A if it wasn’t bad enough to deal with my Semblance during summer, I have to play this stupid endless game for what feels like an eternity. I really believe the heat is getting to me, sometimes I think I hear Ruby or dad’s voice and I lose my grip. I don’t even know why is so important for me to reach the top._

_“Okay, so I took this for_ **_granite_ ** _when you came lookin’ for me this mornin’, but can you tell me what is the concrete goal of this?”_

_The girl groans, and I can feel her pulling on the rope attached to my torso. She has been doing that to try and get me to fall off. She has been successful before, but I can tell this time she isn’t really doing it on purpose._

_“Do you know how to do anything besides tell terrible jokes?” she asks in frustration, rubbing one of her temples. I look down at her, and all I see is her green hair. She’s looking down, avoiding my gaze. “I swear to God, you’re so dense.”_

_I smile and continue climbing up the mountain. I’m sure I’m not supposed to reach the peak of this thing, because if I did she would run out of rope, so I’m still back on square one: not knowing what the fuck this is about. My mother barely speaks to me, always asking someone else to take me somewhere and make me go through some arduous bullshit that leaves me so fucking exhausted. Even if of the closest person to her is in charge of me, I still feel like I’m getting nowhere._

_“Hey, Emerald, did my mother make you go through this when you joined?” I ask, nonchalantly. I’ve been watching her since I got here, always by Raven’s side. My first observation still stands, she doesn’t fit._

_While at the camp I was able to see some family traits shared among some members of the tribe ranging form shape of their chin to an extra pair of ears (there are several faunus members among the group). I could also notice that some people don’t seem to be related to anyone from the tribe; this means they must have joined at some point, and I’m almost certain that Emerald’s one of those. She probably did when she was a kid, raised into the loyal and useful teen she is._

_I look down at her and her eyes meet mine. She furrows her brows, “What makes you think I had to go through a joining?”_

_“‘Cause I haven’t seen your parents around,” I continue to climb._

_“My parents could be Branwens and be dead, for all you know,” she says through her teeth._

_“Yeah, but you’d have outright said it, instead you chose to answer with a question,” I notice a very attractive rock pointing out, perfect for me to hold on to. It’s a little bit far, so once I spot lower rocks where I can place my feet, I jump, extending my hand towards it. ”What the—”_

_When I try to grab it, I realize that nothing is there. Emerald pulls on the rope tied around me, and just like that: I fall off the slope again. My back hits the ground with a loud noise, and I see my aura flicker again, “—fuck.”_

_This is at least the fiftieth time this happens, I swear someone’s playing tricks on me. That or my mind has given up after all I’ve been pushing myself in the past few months. Every time I make a remark, I make the same mistake again._

_A series of footsteps come towards me, and when I open my eyes, I find Emerald staring at me with her brows furrowed. Her eyes remind me so much of my mother’s. Sometimes, it makes me uncomfortable, other times, I feel an awful sense of curiosity._

_Emerald stops a few inches away from me, placing both of her hands on her hips, “Sorry, I had to look at your face again. I keep forgetting that you’re actually related to her.”_

_I knit my eyebrows together._ Was that supposed to insult me? _I barely know anything about my mother, and here she is, rubbing salt on the wound. Even if I should be pissed by her pulling me to the ground again, I’m hurt by her claims. I know I’m not like her, even if I don’t know what she is like. I know that I wouldn’t avoid talking to my family, or pushing them away, and I sure as fuck would train my own daughter like I’d promised her to._

_“I did hit the nail on the head, right?” I sit back up, cleaning the sweat from my forehead._

_She squints at me. Somehow I feel like this girl can only look annoyed or uninterested, at least whenever she’s not around my mother. She looks at her with awe, with so much respect, like every place my mom steps into was grazed by the presence of royalty. It’s weird, and still, I can’t help but to wonder why. Why would anyone look at her with that amount of admiration?_

_“I did join the tribe, but I didn’t have to go through this. And if I had, I wouldn’t have questioned it,” Emerald sneers._

_I chuckle, “Oh, why is that? Is she bein’ a dick to me just because I’m her daughter? Because that’d be really great to know.”_

_She sighs and takes some steps away from me, “You think you’re so clever, don’t you?”_

_“Was I wrong, tho?”_

_She laughs, “You think you can see through me, but you have no clue of who I am,” She turns around to face me, her hand tightly clutching the end of the rope attached to me._

_I remain silent, unsure of what she wants me to reply. I know she’s my mother’s right hand, but not her second in command. I know that she wasn’t part of the tribe and joined when she was a kid, probably trained by my mother to be loyal to her. I know she’s my age: 16._

_“Raven saw me stealing to one of the members of the tribe. She caught me red handed, with the valuables he himself had stolen, and yet she didn’t punish me for it,” she jabbed. “Because that’s what you do to thieves, even if they are little kids: you cut off their hands so they cannot commit the same crime again, yet she didn’t do it.”_

_She speaks with an incredible amount of passion, taking a step closer to me every time she accentuated one of her sentences. I can see so much anger in her eyes at first, but that slowly turns into something softer. I don’t think she is really looking at me, I think she sees my mother._

_I don’t blame her, I know I look a lot like her._

_“She saw right through my Semblance, and when she confronted me... She offered me place to stay, she put a roof over my head, she put food on my plate, and she trained me,” she stomped next to me. Her foot kicking dirt around as she did. “If you’re so interested in facing Raven, in asking her all the questions you have, then you might as well stop acting like a kid and use that great observational skill you are so proud of to see what’s right in front of you.”_

_She pauses and just stares at me. Her burning red eyes pierce right through me, and I feel dizzy. The same sensation that I felt when I reached for a rock that didn’t even exist._

_“You’re not here to be tortured; you’re here to be taught a lesson, so you might as well learn it.”_

_Her words echoed in my head, and my mind goes everything I’ve been forced to do since I got here: the first day, I was left behind and refused dinner when they realized I forgotten the stuff that was given to me: I was taught to take care of my belongings and those of the tribe. The next day, my mother gathered everyone at the center of the camp to make an statement: I learned that everyone was out on their own, and even if I was the leader’s daughter, wouldn’t be treated differently. When I was asked to to do all the heavy lifting, I had to keep quiet, if I opened my mouth, more stuff would be added on top of my back: I was taught to follow orders._

_During the last three months, I’ve been fighting Grimm without my weapons, which meant I couldn’t rely on Dust use: I’m being taught how to fight without wasting resources._

What’s the lesson here?

_I keep my breath under control, even if I’m exhausted. My mind goes back to every time I’ve fallen on my ass while I tried climbing this mountain. Sometimes, I tried to start a conversation, other times my mind went back home, thinking about Ruby, dad and uncle Qrow… and sometimes, I saw things that weren’t even there… I… I heard things that weren’t there._

_I furrow my brows and look at Emerald. She looks amused, arms crossed over her chest as she seems to be waiting for something. For a second, I think I see my mother staring at me from the corner of my eye. She’s not there, I know she isn’t there. Her pet raven is there though, staring at me, like he always does._

_I have to focus, I’m seeing things._

_I stand, and walk over to the slope again. My hand goes over to the first rock in my path, one that I’m so familiar with, I could reach for it with my eyes closed. Maybe even that way I could focus better at the task at hand… Wait… She said my mother saw right through her—_

How do you steal from an skilled thief without him noticing?

_“Hey, Em, tell me: what was your Semblance again? I don’t think I quite catched it,” I turn to her, and she raises a brow. “I feel like I don’t think I can trust my senses that much.”_

_She smiles. “Took you fucking long enough,” she scoffs, pulling on my rope. “Now get up there, you still have to reach the top.”_

_It was her, all this time._ Oh, my fucking God. _She was right, I wasn’t paying attention. I did really think this was just a strength and stamina exercise, when all I had to do was focus on the task at hand. I knew something was up. I knew this couldn’t be that simple, but instead of putting together the evidence I had, I was thinking about getting a step ahead of my mother._

_She isn’t wrong. I thought I had read her correctly, that I knew what Emerald was all about, and how that could be as a key to figure Raven out. I thought my observation skills were good enough for me to see through my mother, that I could actually know who she was and what she wanted of me, but the truth is: I don’t know a damn thing._

 

* * *

 

 

“Wakey, wakey, Ruby and Blakey,” I place a hand on Blake’s shoulder, and the other one on my sister’s shin. I gently shake them awake.

While my sister kicks my hand away as she wakes up, Blake knits her brows together, curling tighter around her covers, and cracks an eye open. Breathtaking amber orbs find me, and for a moment she’s confused, until it clicks.

“Good morning,” She curls even more under her covers.

I pat her shoulder a little before I let go of her. It’s now that I notice she’s still wearing her bow, something really off for someone to do, especially if you have to brush your hair and fix it early in the morning. She doesn’t seem to be phased by it. She just pushes the covers off to stretch her arms again and quickly goes for her bag.

“Yang, did you wake Weiss up?” Ruby yawns and notices a corgi is coming her way. She pats his head, “Morning, Zwei.”

He barks happily in response. _Good dog, best friend._

“Zwei woke her up an hour ago when he had to pee. She has been curled up inside her bedroll since then,” I point at the blue ball that’s Weiss’s bedroll. Ruby follows the direction of my finger and sighs when she sees her partner. After our dog moves to the side, she leaves her own bedroll to pester the Altesian into giving in and getting up.

I snicker at the scene, and turn back to Blake, who, by the looks of it, has brushed her hair. She’s on her knees, placing her brush into the bag, before fixing her mattress to roll it up. She moves her fingers carefully, every movement entirely calculated, like when she fights.

“Did you sleep well?”

She nods, “Did you?”

“Yeah, plus, everything was quiet, no Grimm around us or bandits,” I stand up and stretch my legs. “If we leave in five, we’ll be ahead of our schedule.”

After I say that, I turn to look at Weiss, who has finally abandoned her bedroll. She has toothbrush and toothpaste in hand. She glares at me, slouching, before she looks for a bottle of water in her bag. Her hair is disheveled, and although she doesn’t have bags under her eyes, her moodiness makes up for it.

“Hey, Blake, what’s your book about?” Ruby points at the object that was by Blake’s mattress before she rolled it up.

Blake looks at what I expected to be The Marquise de Merteuil, but I find myself staring at a book with a different colored hard cover. This one is red, with the corners protected by an old metal coating. The title, Shroud by Jaune Banville, is burned on the front cover instead of being placed in golden hot stamping like I expected it to. She picks it up, and looks at it with some fondness before she replies, “It’s about a young man who moves into a small town close to Vale to start a new life, but a journalist discovers his past and his ties to the Mistrali army.”

“Oh, so it’s a psychological thriller,” Ruby peers. “A fictional one?”

“Actually, I found it at the mystery section, so I think there’s a plot twist at some point,” Blake shrugs. She looks back at my sister, noticing the twinkle in her eyes. “Do you like mystery novels?”

“Oh, well, I’m more of a fairy tale/hero stories. My mom used to read me a lot of stories about huntsmen when I was little,” Ruby smiles. “But your book seems really cool.”

“If you want, you can borrow it once I finish it,” Blake smiles back, and put is away on her bag. “I promise not to spoil it."

Ruby nods and goes back to her bedroll to pick it up and put it away. Zwei watches her as she organizes her stuff before we can leave. At the same time, Blake watches him closely, ready to jump back if the little corgi decided to go her way. It’s kind of funny. This huntress is very skilled and graceful, but the moment she sees a dog, she’s reduced to a ball of nerves.

“Okay, let’s go,” Weiss is back. Her teeth are brushed, her hair back in place into her usual side ponytail, her clothes dusted off, and her white feed bag hanging from her elbow. She has a hand on her hips, she looks at us with determination. I, then, decide to grab my duffle bag.

We begin today’s very, very long walk after that. Ruby reassures us that we’re right on schedule. She grabs her map from her backpack (which has Weiss cute little pointers for her to remember the places we should check out), and her compass. I find it endearing that my sister has learned how to navigate a map, I also wonder if getting her a compass was Weiss’s idea. I’m almost sure that’s the way they train their recruits in Atlas, I could even ask Weiss about it later even. Hell, I can even ask her to teach me how to drive a car, or maybe a motorcycle. They might be expensive as fuck, but after cashing in Torchwick, I bet I can get the pieces to build one myself.

We have breakfast half an hour after waking up. We can’t stop to eat, so when lunch time comes, we just grab a bite of some fruits we find on our way. This mission could take longer than expected, we shouldn’t be using all of our supplies. Dad gave me some money to last for a couple of days, and after the quick errands we got done while waiting on info from Torchwick, we can cover our expenses for a week or so.

The journey is never short of conversation. Surprisingly enough, Weiss is much more chatty today. However, when I drop a joke or two, I fail to get the same reaction I got from her yesterday. She seems to hold in a snicker.

I know she likes them, I just have to crack her. Blake and Ruby, on the other hand, still groan at my attempts at humor. Still, I manage to lighten up the mood every once in a while, which means we’re not going to attract any Grimm horde like yesterday.

At some point, my sister and the Vacuan fall into a deep conversation about hero tropes and my mom’s old stories. I seems that even if Blake finds them interesting, she doesn’t understand why someone like Ruby —who apparently should be reading murder mystery stories— isn’t that keen in trying other genres. Weiss makes a comment about how cheap and monotone psychological thrillers are, and soon the three of them end up talking about books I’ve never heard in my life.

I think Ruby hasn’t either. She becomes less interested in the subject, and at some point, we begin to talk about Valen movies. My sister starts rambling about a film she took Weiss to see. It was about the great adventures of The Huntsman. The Altesian groans beside her, and Blake is amused by it. That’s when I start noticing it. Even if Weiss may not find the subject that interesting, she somehow re joins the conversation as soon as Blake and Ruby go into a tangent, the same thing she did when they were talking about books. Just as if she was trying to divert the attention my sister was giving to the Vacuan.

Since Blake and I didn’t see the movie, we don’t quite get why Ruby likes the hero so much and why Weiss finds him so annoying. It’s like they are both talking about a different person altogether. Instead of continuing to ramble about this hero dude, Ruby remembers that she tried to get a copy of the movie while they were traveling from small town to a smaller one. She grew frustrated, finding a video store was hard, getting a merchant to be selling DVDs was even harder.

“Oh, Yang, we found scar guy again!” my sister interrupts Weiss mid sentence as she snaps her fingers as she remembers this crucial piece of information. She ignores her partners glare in response to her interruption, oblivious to the point that Weiss was trying to get across.

“Wait, scar guy as in the guy who had the thingamabob for Crescent Rose three years ago?” I raise my eyebrow, quickly  remembering the face of the merchant we met before our first encounter with Weiss.

Weiss groans.

“Yes! That one,” she jumps, her cape following her movements. “He didn’t have the stuff I wanted anymore, but Weiss and I know how he got his scar!”

“That’s so cool!” I meet my sister’s hand for a high five, then turn to Weiss, “How did you guys get him to spill the beans?”

Weiss knits her brows together and looks at me disapprovingly, “I didn’t get him to spill any metaphorical ‘beans’, we saved him from an Ursa Major while he was trying to salvage the remains of two tribes that had wiped each other out.”

“He’s a scavenger. That’s how he gets the best loot,” my sister points out. Her expression changes from one of excitement to one of awkwardness, “But when I realized all his stuff was stolen from dead bodies, I kinda felt creeped out by his merch, so I couldn’t really buy anything else from him.”

I’m about to agree with her when Weiss speaks:

“The dead have no use for valuables or weapons, that includes ammunition,” she holds her head high, and my sister looks at her in shock. “What? I understand that having someone’s belongings after they were brutally murdered is not optimal, but we could’ve found a better use to all those Dust vials.”

Ruby and I shake her head disapprovingly. Funny enough, I think a lot of the stuff I had at the Branwen camp was acquired that way. I guess I just kinda block that possibility when I was in need of resources.

“So, he got his scar while scavengin’? Why would he be so secretive about _that_ particular scar if he just does his thing every day?” I stop Ruby before she argues with Weiss about morals and death or whatever they could start rambling about.

“What’s so special about a scar?” Blake breaks her silence. She looks at me and my sister, knowing that Weiss won’t provide her with an interesting answer.

The Atlesian rolls her eyes.

“He’s got a scar that goes all across his face,” my sister uses her hand to mark the direction and length of the man’s scar on her face.

“It’s not special by all means, we just thought it was weird that he was okay with tellin’ stories about the scars on his arms, but not that one,” I shrug, and turn to my sister again. “So, spill.”

Ruby looks at Weiss, as if she was asking for permission to tell the story. The Altesian rolls her eyes again, she just wants this thing to be over.

“Okay, so he didn’t just scavenge the remains of _any_ battle. He went to Vytal _,_ ” as soon as my sister says that, my eyes go wide. Without thinking, I turn to look at Blake and find her staring back at me. She looks just as worried and uncomfortable as I am.

Whatever happened at that godforsaken island has been a mystery for 80 years. The survivors spoke so ill about it, their claims turning into crazytalk as soon as they opened their mouth. Dad and Qrow gave us a history lesson about it growing up, but we were not allowed to read any textbooks until we were older; it’s _that_ fucked up.

“He went into the battlefield, as in: The Battlefield,” my sister makes emphasis as she speaks, clearly referring to the ambush that took place and wiped the four armies in three days. “He didn’t want to describe what he saw, and even if he had a bad feeling about it, he couldn’t resist it. The corpses still had their belongings on them after so many years. So, he grabbed his backpack and started picking weapons, jewelry and other pieces of armor.”

“His greed put him in danger, and he got attacked by a group of Grimm,” Weiss interejected. “One of them almost tore his face off, and he said he only made it out alive because he fell into a river. The current carried him out to the beach, where he had conveniently left his boat.”

My entire body shudders. I don’t want to even think about what must have gone through his mind as he let the current take him to his destiny. I don’t ever want to be in a situation like that, with my conscience fading as I’m bleeding off. I had enough of a close call three years ago, and I wasn’t even badly wounded when Raven got to me. I can’t imagine the desperation that man had to go through, and all because he wanted to steal the valuables of all the men and women that died horribly.

“Hell, and that guy still wants to scavenge after all of that?” I manage to ask.

Weiss sighs, “Old habits die hard, I suppose—”

A high pitched scream tears through the forest and our blood runs cold.

We stop on our tracks, and look at each other, eyes wide, perfectly knowing that neither of us caused the halt. Zwei tenses up, looking at the direction from which the sound came.

The second time someone screams, it’s accompanied by a second cry belonging to a different person. Someone is in danger, and just like three years ago, I know that Ruby isn’t going to stand by while someone is being attacked. Still, unlike the time we met Weiss, my sister looks for approval in our eyes. Her partner and I both nod, and soon we following her when she starts sprinting.

Although Blake is probably confused at first, she reacts accordingly.  I can feel her running behind me.

We move several feet into the direction from which the cry was heard, Zwei guiding us until we make it to a big clearing. We have two seconds to let it all sink in. A Death Stalker is quickly cornering a snake faunus. The man waves his hands to get its attention.

The creature, however, seems to be thinking about attacking the other two faunus that are cornered against a slope by a group of Beowolves. The woman is the one responsible for the screams. She cries for her husband in panic, while the little boy that’s hugging her tightly cries desperately.

Ruby wastes no time. She unfolds Crescent Rose into its scythe form and fires it against the ground to impulse herself forward. She uses her boots to hit the Deathstalker’s telson and lands on a glyph. She maneuvers her scythe around to make her next move. Just with that, she gets the creature to screech and lose its focus on the woman and the child.

Weiss gets in between the man and the Grimm, holding an arm out to maintain the glyph in position. She doesn’t even look at the faunus, she stares at my sister as Ruby readies herself to fire again, the telson of the creature in mind.

“Yang, Blake, protect the woman and the kid!” my sister fires, and the Deathstalker moves its tail around, avoiding her slice. It moves back and screeches again, thirsty for blood. Zwei jumps at Weiss’s side and growls at the Grimm.

Although we are more than ready to join them in the fight, I nod, and look at my partner. She looks surprised at first, but then nods back. We continue our way towards the two crying faunus being surrounded. With Ember Celica activated and fully loaded, I sprint my way right into the middle of the ruckus. I gather all my strength on my right hand and throw one of the meanest hooks I’ve ever given to a Grimm.

Once my fist connects with a Beowulf's face. I knock it down alongside the one behind it.

“Yang, down!” Blake calls my name and I know exactly what she’s planning.

I take another step, plant my foot on the ground, and lean forward. Soon enough, I feel one of Blake’s high heels on my back as she uses me as a ramp. What she does next is hard to explain, probably her Semblance. A shadow of her takes her place on the air. She uses it to impulse herself as she jumps into the air to slash another Beowolf. Once she slices through it, she turns around, and uses the sheath of her weapon to end the Grimm I had knocked down. We have all of the creatures’ attention.

Blake turns again, and I do as well, bringing my fists up. We’re back to back, ready to strike. I grin, and, without a word, we both get started. Just like yesterday, we fall into a comfortable rhythm, like we’ve known each other for years.

I punch the Grimm that’s growling in front of me. Then, I block the attack from a Grimm to my right. The hit still fuels my Semblance

Afterwards, I elbow it in the stomach. I turn my back against the Beowolf and fire my gauntlet, impulsing my first forward, landing a hit on a third Beowolf.

I keep my feet light, like a boxer on a ring. I land two more punches and catch Blake swinging Gambol Shroud around with both hands in the corner of my eye. I duck, and let her slice throw a Grimm as she turns.

A punch right in the gut, an uppercut to the snout; another Beowolf is knocked back. This gives me enough time to notice some strays going for Weiss and my sister. I turn, evading a Grimm’s claws, and make eye contact with Blake, asking for permission.

“Go,” she breathes out. She, then, fires her gun and throws it against a pair of Beowolves with her ribbon.

“Keep them safe,” I smile and take a quick look of the woman and child tightly holding each other. The mother is covering her son’s ears, trying to protect him from the loud gunshots sounds and she shrugs in a vain attempt to cover her own ears.

I bite the inside of my cheek, mentally apologizing for something Blake and I can’t stop doing. We need our bullets, and as a matter of fact, I decide to reload. After a flick of my wrists, all the empty bullet shells fall off to the ground. I quickly grab more fire Dust rounds and throw them in the air. With a calculated move, the bullet rounds fall into Ember Celica, and the rotating chambers and the outer metal pieces click back into place. When the weapon finishes reloading, I jump at a Beowolf.

I land on it’s back, and fire at it, making it slide against the ground. This brings me closer to my next targets. The other two Grimm turn to look at me with a low growl.

To get their attention fully off Weiss and Ruby, I fire my left gauntlet to the one on the right, and my right one and the one on the left, making them  even angrier.

The two creatures roar as the Grimm under my feet vanishes. I move a foot back and prepare to counter. The Beowolf on the left is the first one to attack. It  jumps at me and I spin around, successfully avoiding it. When the second one comes at me, I greet it with an elbow to the snout. He manages to hit me, but not hard enough to knock me out. As I turn on my heels, keeping my momentum, I hit it in the torso and send him flying several feet away. Then, I kill it with a single shot.

The remaining Beowolf comes back at me again, and with two punches, it’s out. The creature vanishes before me and the ground shakes. I see another Deathstalker running at full speed. With my eyes, I follow its path and I find Blake, the woman and the little boy.

My partner knows it’s coming towards her.

When the Deathstalker attacks, she blocks the tail that’s coming her way with the blade and the sheath. She’s sent back. She tries holding her ground, trapping the pointy end of the telson in between both parts of her weapon. She’s not going to let that monster get to the boy and the woman.

“Blake—!” I cry out.

She doesn’t see giant pedipalm coming her way, and she’s knocked away. Now, there’s nothing stopping the Grimm from attacking the woman and her child, who are glued to the boulder behind them. Their bodies shrink in terror as they cling to each other while sobbing desperately.

The Death Stalker raises the other claw high, ready to strike again.

My blood boils.

I begin to run, the cries of that desperate family echo in my ears, and I finally do it: I open the gates I meticulously keep closed at all times. Fire runs through my veins and I let a war cry escape from my throat as I launch myself forward to wherever my legs are able to carry me.

I plant my feet on the ground and I slide, moving the dirt along, until I I’m right between the Deathstalker and the vulnerable family. The claw comes down, and I use both hands to catch it. A wave of gust strokes my hair and my clothes, cleaning all the dirt off.

I clench my teeth. The inhuman strength of this Deathstalker is nothing compared to the burning inferno that I feel inside. Responding to its instincts, it tries to hit me with its golden telson, _but not today you son of a bitch_.

I yell in anger as I gather all my strength and use it against the Grimm.

I flip the giant Deathstalker on its back. The massive beast falls to the ground with a loud noise. I’m a little amazed by my own capabilities, even if I know this isn’t as strong as I can get.

“Blake!” I call for my partner as turn towards her.

She barely got back on her feet. She’s got her katana and sheath in hand as she stares at me in a mixture of shock and fear. Her eyes amber eyes are wide as they meet mine: bloodshot, red and foreign.

The Deathstalker wriggles its feet and moves its tail side to side as its struggles to break free from my hold.

“Blake, kill it!” I call for her again.

Her eyes dart from me to the family, then back to me again. Finally, she clenches her teeth as if something just clicked, and begins sprinting towards me. Once again, she leaves a shadow behind and impulses herself just enough to land on top of the Deathstalker. Then, she digs her katana deep into the creature.

The Grimm cries in pain, and shakes violently as it dies.

The Deathstalker begins to vanish, and I let go of its claw, closing the gates again. The heat subsides. The flame that was beginning to devour my hair dies out, and I breathe heavily. My body relaxes, and I close my eyes momentarily, _It’s over, we did it._

“Are you two al—” I turn to address the woman and the kid, but, out of nowhere, I’m tackled. The boy hugs me tightly, wrapping his arms around me. I can feel the scales on his cheeks brush against my skin.

It’s not until the mother tackles me as well that I’m thrown of a little off balance. She thanks me over and over as she clings to me and her son. I’m surprised, to say the least, but I sigh in relief as I return the hug. I put an arm around the two and let the woman continue to mumble.

“It’s okay. You’re okay,” I whisper back, trying to calm her down. I turn to Blake, who’s putting her weapon away. She still looks confused, probably at the display of my Semblance. I’ll explain it later, when we get this people somewhere safe.

“Thank the maidens!” the snake faunus comes running to his wife and child. Scales covering his cheeks and forehead, just like his son. Ruby and Weiss are right behind him, walking towards us.

As soon as the rest of the family sees the man, the boy and the woman let go of me to hug him. The boy is hesitant to let go of me at first, but as soon as he notices that his father is sobbing, he goes to him.

Ruby stops next to me, her fingers intertwined behind her back, her scythe folded and in place. She smiles from ear to ear, she looks at me and then back at the family. The Altesian, on the other hand, hugs her arms as she keeps her distance, mildly uncomfortable by the scene, but happy nonetheless. Zwei walks by her. He wags his tail as he looks at us, somewhat tired after the fight.

“There are not enough words to thank all of you for saving our lives,” the dark haired man smiles at us while he puts an arm around his wife. He places his free hand on his son, who was looking at Zwei with amazement.

At his father’s touch, the boy looks at the man, and then looks at me in awe with his deep blue eyes.

“Seeing you safe and sound is enough for us,” Ruby reassures him. “It’s dangerous to be out here without the help of a huntsman, next time, you should take the routes south from here instead.”

“Yes, you’re right. The truth is, my son, Sohaib, got very sick, and we were forced to travel to the closest town for a doctor,” as his father speaks, the red haired boy in question tears his gaze from me to look at Blake. “The chief said he’d send a caravan to pick us up once he got better, but with all the ambushes and robberies we’ve heard about lately, we thought it’d be safer for our brothers if we went back on our own.”

As the man speaks, the young boy leaves the safety of his mother’s side, and walks towards me and Blake, hesitantly. His eyes, blue as his mother’s, lock on Blake as he advances. He stops a couple steps away from the Vacuan, and we both notice she’s uncomfortable. She shifts her stance, now awkward, and she freezes when she realizes the boy is hesitant to approach her even further.

Amber meets blue, and Blake holds her breath.

I don’t know exactly what goes through her mind, but she slowly moves her hands forward. Once she shyly opens her arms for the boy, who can’t be older than 6-years-old, and Sohaib closes the distance between them. He hugs her.

He’s not as aggressive as he was when he tackled me into a hug, but nonetheless, Blake is just as surprised as I was when he made contact with me.

At first she’s unsure how to return the hug, in fact, I notice the slight twitch in her fingers as she figures out how to respond. She hesitates on how to properly reassure him. It’s kinda cute.

Finally, she places a hand on top of the boy’s short red hair, and the one on his back, patting him gently.

I smile. Facing a life or death situation is nerve wrecking, being saved by someone when you think all hope is lost is mind blowing. My thoughts drift to Raven, and that moment in the woods when I already had accepted my fate. My stomach twists in a mix of fondness and shame, but before I can dwell on it, my eyes leave the boy to find Blake staring at me. She shrugs, still not a hundred percent sure if this sort of physical affection is her thing.

My smile grows wider, and I give her a thumbs up. She smiles back, giving in a little. It’s not her usual flirty smirk. The way she looks at me is not the same as before, there’s fondness when before was just intrigue. It’s as if she just found something interesting and admirable.

“We should head back to the inn and wait for the caravan, maybe the chief will send it tomorrow,” the boy’s mother speaks to her husband. She places a hand on the man’s chest, in an attempt to persuade him, her arms full of scales.

“Aruni, my love, we’re closer to the camp than the town,” the man shook his head, and took his wife’s hand in between his. “Is there any chance you can help us reach our camp?”

“What town are you going to?” Ruby takes her maps from her backpack.

The man shakes his head, “Oh, we aren’t heading to a town. We live in a faunus settlement. May I?” The man leaves his wife’s side to approach me sister, who eagerly opens the map in his direction.

“We’re heading to Kuroyuri, and we shouldn’t be getting sidetracked,” Weiss decides to break her silence, even if she keeps her distance.

“Oh, that’s fantastic!” the man smiles. After a closer inspection, he points at a location on the map, and my sister nods.

Weiss seems displeased.

“The camp is close by. You have to come with us, after everything you’ve done, we can give you supplies and you can bath by the camp.”

“The place is safe, and I’m sure that if Raktim tells the chief what you’ve done for us, you’ll be welcomed,” Aruni joins her husband to support his offer.

Ruby looks at Weiss, Blake and me, putting the map down slightly. If she’s actually considering it, then the camp is on the way and wouldn’t harm the mission. That means a safe place to sleep, and warm food, which is always something I’m into.

“A camp sounds safer than sleeping in the middle of the woods all alone,” I point out. Ruby knows I’m voting in favor of joining the family for the day.

I feel small fingers interlacing with mine, and I look down to find Sohaib holding my hand with a weak smile. I smile back at him, and close my hand around his. Also, I notice he’s holding onto Blake as well. We exchange glances, and it looks like she feels more comfortable now, even if she’s not completely into it. I still feel that she’s looking at me differently.

_Maybe she thinks my Semblance is interesting?_

Her bewitching eyes leave mine to find Ruby, and she nods discreetly.

The three of us look at Weiss, and when she realizes it, she huffs, “Fine. As long as we’re not delayed by a detour and we can capture our target, I’m fine with it.”

The couple thanks us again, and out of curiosity, I ask more about their camp. Although I’ve participated in some illicit activities carried out by the Branwen tribe, camp raiding was among the things I wasn’t willing to do for Raven, so I’m not that knowledgeable in settlements and geography. That list also included murder and kidnappings.

She wasn’t happy at my lack of cooperation, but she still gave me a Grimm mask to wear when I accompanied the other members of the tribe. I guess she knew I wasn’t going to stay with her and become her successor like she wanted me to. She did try to persuade me otherwise once though. Nonetheless, even if I wasn’t told to target any other camps, I’ve never heard of the settlement the man was talking about.

Raktim explains that the camp was founded by a slave faunus that managed to escape from Atlas. After finding a boat and making it to the coast of Sanus, he tried to insert himself into Valen society, but he saw his brothers and sisters were being excluded and mistreated. Even if the hate crimes never reached the levels of the ones he suffered in Atlas, he got tired of looking at the pain of his people, and decided to build a space were faunus could feel safe, a place where they weren’t going to be judged by humans. As time passed, the word got spread, and more faunus joined him.

Turns out Sohaib had never seen humans until he got sick. The settlement is self sufficient, but they lack any medical experts. I can see why the boy stares at us so intently. Even if he lets go of Blake’s hand at some point in favour of his mother’s, he still holds mine. I catch him staring at me curiously from time to time. I think he mistook my freckles as small scales at some point.

Blake remains close to me, and even if she was previously uneasy around the boy, I think that the fact that he’s very quiet makes her feel more comfortable. I can tell she doesn’t like being around children, but maybe she doesn’t like loud kids. Luckily for me, we didn’t meet when I was a kid, otherwise she would have found me obnoxious.

 I wink at her when I catch her glancing in my direction, like she’s reflecting on something. She’s probably still thinking about my red eyes, and since I haven’t properly been able to explain my Semblance, she’ll have to wait a little longer to get her answers. I don’t blame her though, I’m still intrigued by her own ability. Maybe not as intrigued as she seems to be on mine, it’s just that she doesn’t set herself on fire… _she’s got no need for it tho, she’s already hot._

We finally arrive at the camp once the sun hides. Turns out they’ve built  a large wooden wall with dangerous and pointy ends. Aruni was right, at first the lookouts are worried that they had been captured by some humans (us), but as soon as her husband explains the situation, we’re taken to see the chief. The old bat faunus agrees that we should stay, and not only that, he gives us a big warm dinner and a couple of tents to sleep in.

The chief, Zephyr, insists that we are payed back with supplies and so much food. I’m really tempted, since dinner was delicious, but we reject the offer after thanking them.

The chief insists again, and Ruby can’t just say no. We then end putting our stuff in our tents,after having dinner, and the four of us go our own ways. Blake and I are sharing a tent, and Ruby and Weiss get the other one, not because Weiss and Blake are not on the best terms with each other, but rather because Weiss can’t tolerate my snoring and partners should stick together.

My sister decides to have a word with the Zephyr, he calmly chats with her by the fire, and I watch over them while I listen to his stories. He was born and raised as a slave in a small mining camp outside of Atlas, separated from his parents. I can’t help but to look as his torn wing. Something tells me that was a souvenir from his old life.

_Where does one jump from not allowing faunus into your establishment and whipping them like circus animals?_

I look at Sohaib as he gets taken to bed by his lovely parents, and I can’t understand how someone doesn’t view them as people; it’s ridiculous. Maybe is better for them to live within this wooden walls, safe, having each other.

 Sohaib eventually comes running to my sister and I. He hugs her, then she comes to tackle me into a hug. He asks me if I have seen Blake and Weiss so he can properly wish them good night. They aren’t around, and his mother hurries him to go to bed. I promise to tell them for him and smiles.

 Then, he pats my head to confirm that I’m not on fire. He says my hair looks too beautiful and shiny to be real. His mother laughs behind him before she calls him for bed again. He’s such a cutie, of course I’m going to carry his messages.

 Now that I think about it, I should check where the other two are. Blake left a while ago, and I’m supposed to keep an eye on her. Weiss seemed uncomfortable ever since we came here, probably because the chief was abused by Altesians. Still, I tell Zwei to stay with Ruby as I search for my other two teammates.

 I could stay all night and listen to the chief tell stories about his childhood and how he got the camp running, but every time he talks about the harsh moments of his life, I feel ashamed and angry. Focusing on human and faunus relationships in the middle of the night this close to the forest isn’t a good idea, so I just look around for my teammates.

 Strangely enough, it doesn’t take me long to find the Weiss.  She is by the wall, looking at nothing in particular, as if she’s contemplating the thought of leaving in the middle of the night. She’s staring at the woods, arms crossed over her chest. The lookouts seem to have moved somewhere else, leaving her all alone.

 “Hey, princess, you must be a broom, ‘cause you sweep me off my feet.”

 She knits her eyebrows together when she turns her head towards me, “What is it with you?”

 “I just really, _really_ like you,” I shrug as I walk up to her, hands in the pockets of my jacket. She turns to look at the woods again, her eyes lost in the darkness. “You feelin’ any better? You are actin’ colder than usual today.”

 “Yes, I just…” she looks at she floor, her eyes moving side to side as she figures out what to say. There’s something at the tip of her tongue, but she seems to brush it away in favor of something else. She shakes her head, “I’m still thinking about what you said on regards to Ruby, but this is hardly the time or place to have a proper conversation with her.”

 “Hey, we’re gettin’ to Kuroyuri tomorrow, I’m sure that you’ll be able to tell her there.” I smile, “Also, it’s cute to see you all jealous when Blake talks to Ruby.”

 She stomps her foot into the ground, hands violently falling to her side, “You shouldn’t say those things! How dare you accuse me of— of being like that!” She’s red in the face, glaring at me like she’s never done it before. I want to laugh at her shyness, but quickly this turns into something else, “Things like that can get you executed, you—!”

 “Hey, hey, it’s cool, I don’t think Ruby is goin’ to have a problem with that—”

 “Drop it,” she spats, and as soon as she does, her eyes go wide, realizing how she had just reacted. She turns on her heels, facing the forest again, crossing her arms over her chest. She looks more uncomfortable now, tightly holding her arms in place with her hands. She looks ashamed.

 Silence falls between us, and for the first time since I’ve met her, I feel wrong. Maybe my constant teasing was the opposite of what she needed. I just thought she was shy, and a little friendly banter would help to break the ice. Of course I could make a ruckus about someone wanting to date my sister, but this is Weiss, and even if I know that his girl has gone through a lot of pain, I can clearly see that she cares about Ruby

 I want to tell her that I want to be supportive, but maybe this subject can’t be brushed yet, just like her scar. Up until this point I had never considered that part of the many things the military forced her to do was not be herself. _I’m so stupid_ , she said it herself. They wanted to turn her into something she wasn’t.

 “You don’t know what’s like.” It’s her who breaks the silence.

 I look at her, clenching my hands in my pockets, unsure if she expects me to reply.

 “It’s not just about me being the daughter of a rich and powerful man, born into a respected family, who suddenly realized that she couldn't handle the pressure,” she bites her bottom lip. “I’m not ashamed of losing my title as a heiress. I renounced to my last name on my own accord because I knew I truly didn’t belong there, or at least the family my father created. I don’t regret doing that…”

 She makes a pause.

 “My father wants Als—" She groans. " _Atlas_ to finish the war that started 80 years ago, and even though I was raised in the military for several years, raised to believe that Atlas came first, and that we should bring the order and greatness of our kingdom everywhere else, I just didn’t agree with it,” she turns her hands into fists.

 “For so many years I stayed quiet, agreeing to everything they said, repressing all my thoughts and opinions in favour of the ‘greater good’. I hurt so many people. Even if I’m here now… There’s a high chance I would've never found the courage to leave home.”

 “I’d have stayed there, perpetuating the same mistakes my superiors committed, and maybe even faced you two in the battlefield if they had decided to attack, but in that case, I wouldn’t have know how wonderful you are.”

 She stops herself before saying anything else, and a tear falls down her face. The first tear quickly followed by another one, and I do my best not to let my heart sink. She wipes the tear off in a hurry, like she was trying to hide the truth. She sniffs, and stops herself from crying. She holds her arms tightly at her sides, clenching her fists like there was no tomorrow.

 “You wonder what Ruby will think of your past, and the vague reality where you never left Atlas, but that’s not who you are Weiss,” I speak softly, not to startle her. “You left the safety of your kingdom, you resigned to all of your inheritance, and you deserted an army, which we both know is an offence punished by death. You did all of that ‘cause you didn’t believe in what was forced into you.”

 I turn to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She opens her mouth to say something, but she says nothing. Her begging eyes waiting for me.

 “You are the choices you made, and even if you made terrible choices before, that’s not who you are now,” I reassure her. “I know that tellin’ you not to be terrified of tellin’ Ruby the truth is stupid, you can’t just stop being ‘scared’ of something because someone tells you to.”

 Another tear falls down her cheek. She closes her mouth.

 “There’s nothing to be scared of. Hell, _I_ found out shit about your past because Raven told me, and I didn’t think, even for a second, that you were an awful person,” I chuckle. ”Actually…”

 “I actually thought it was brave as fuck, what you did. So, forgive me, _Princess_ , but you’re one of the people I admire the most, and I know that Ruby would think the same way...”

 I smile at her, “She’s your best friend after all.”

 With that statement, Weiss relaxes. She lets go of  that breath she had been holding for a while go, and she nods, closing her eyes. Two more tears run down her eyes, but this time she doesn’t look like she’s going to burst into tears. She’s probably right, this isn’t the right place to have a heavy conversation like this.

 I see one of the lookouts coming back, and I know this conversation is over for now. She’ll need time to process this, and perhaps one more day would be actually helpful.

 “Thank you, Yang,” her voice is soft, kind and warm. When I look at her, I find her smiling, just like the time I introduced myself, but even better.

 I was right, her smiles are always the sweetest.

 “Don’t go to bed late, make sure Ruby follows her bedtime like she should,” I pat her on the shoulder, and shove my hands on my pockets. She snickers, and I walk away to give her some space. Maybe at a time like this she needs some time to reflect before going to bed. “Sohaim asked me to wish you a good night.”

 She blinks at this, but doesn’t say anything.

 Weiss turns back to face the forest as I leave.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you catch that Homestuck reference?


	14. The Kuhn Cycle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, picture aesthetics of that song from the little mermaid.

Looking for Blake is a little harder than I expected.

I mean, yes, I know she can be very stealthy; she can basically move anywhere she wants, and no one will notice. Plus, just like when we met her at the restaurant, I can tell she likes to hide in the shadows. In fact, as I asked around camp, most people barely even noticed she was missing. They knew four humans were at the settlement. After all, we had dinner by the campfire together as Raktim narrated what happened that day and how our team came to the rescue, it’s kinda impossible to not have seen us.

I’m aware the faunus are a little weirded out by the presence of humans, but I don’t blame them for it. They all individually had to experience enough shity human behaviour for a lifeme.

They aren’t mean to me in the slightest, but they still are hesitant to answer when I address them. Nonetheless, I still wish them a good night, and carry on with my search. Blake couldn’t have just vanished.

Just in case, I decide to drop by our assigned tent. Maybe she just went to sleep, and I didn’t even notice because I was watching Ruby. Unfortunately, she’s not there. Her bag is closed, but it looks emptier than this morning. This means she’s carrying some of her stuff around. My first guess is a book, and then when I realize that one of her books is out: the one with the red cover. I think it was called Shroud, the one she talked to Ruby about. I also notice that her weapon is not by her mattress.

If she took her weapon with her, she probably is outside the camp, and it’s just a precaution measure. _Did she go into the forest in the middle of the night?_

I bite the inside of my cheek and weight my options. Maybe she just went for a stroll. I don’t think she’s going to be bothered if I find her. After all, we should get to bed. If I just said I was looking for her to make sure she was alright, she won’t think I’m babysitting her.

I leave our tent, and get to the wooden wall. I decide to follow the river going south, the same route we will be following to get to Kuroyuri tomorrow. It looks nice, and if she did go out for a stoll, it would be a good place to start.

I wave at the lookouts as I leave, and put my hands in my pockets. Weiss is no longer around.

The forest is all covered in hues of blue and green, setting a mood perfect for a walk before going to bed. It feels like I’m staring at the perfect water painting. No wonder the chief chose this place to make a camp.

Although I could easily be distracted by the beautiful flowers of some of the trees, or the way the river reflects the night sky, I’m actually distracted by bugs. Fireflies to be exact. It somehow makes it look all magical, and kinda safe, even if I know Grimm could be lurking around.

The wall the faunus have built to protect their settlement wouldn’t last that long against Grimm, but something tells me that their friendly and supportive atmosphere is enough to keep them at bay. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place this unprotected with as many people still standing. It makes me happy to know that these people have found each other and can live this peacefully.

I smile, my eyes following the trail of a group of fireflies. It must be neat to live surrounded by kind people and this pretty scenery. Maybe I would still have to make the occasional trip to a smith, to get spare parts and some knives, but if I was looking to settle down, a place like this might be a really cool option. My thoughts quickly drift back to the Branwen tribe, a place that even with some friendly faces and a sense of camaraderie, is still a place I could never call home. Maybe I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. We had to face several Grimm attacks, and just like the rest of the tribe, I was asked to defend it.

I sigh, trying to brush away those thoughts, which I sometimes find hard to do. I still remember the look on Raven’s face when I told her I was leaving. She looked disappointed, almost hurt, but instead of stopping me, she just shooed me away. To be honest, I was never held prisoner there, but making the decision to finally leave was tough in a way. I knew I wanted to go back home, but I had grown used to many things there—

Without realizing, I walk into the fireflies I was following. I shake my head uncomfortably as I wave my hand in front of my face, _Dammit_. Good thing these bugs don’t sting, otherwise it’d be a different story.

The fireflies fly away in a frenzy, still remaining together.  I sigh, ashamed of my own stupidity as my eyes follow their path, and without realizing I encounter something even a thousand times more beautiful.

Someone’s there, by the river, who carefully washes their clothes while being bathed by the moonlight. The dark silhouette is perfectly contrasted by the faint source of light. Black hair shines in the dark as careful hands twist a piece of clothing around to get the excess water off; it’s methodical, and oddly satisfying to watch. The water drips the person’s forearms as they set the fabric to the side. Several drops of water run down their amazingly delicate hands.

I think my jaw just dropped.

I can’t believe I’m standing just a couple of feet away from someone so captivatingly beautiful. The curve of their nose is easy on the eyes, and I’m quickly to follow the shape of their cheeks and chin like I’m painting over a canvas with the smoothest brush I could find. Their jawline could kill a man, and it has certainly fatally wounded me. My eyes don’t stop as they follow the curve of their neck.

Something flickers. A fast and punctual movement distracts me.

Right on top of their head rest a pair a cat ears. They are  covered in black fur, and flicker as a firefly passes nearby. The faunus isn’t fazed in the slightest, resuming their chore by grabbing another piece of clothing and dividing it into the river. They handle the fabric with care, it’s almost hypnotizing.

I get a nice view of their biceps; thanks to the shirt they’re currently wearing since it’s sleeveless. The faunus’ eyes shine bright in the night, and just now I realize I’m staring at a pair of familiar honey eyes.

It’s really dark tonight, even with the moon almost full. My mind is furiously trying to put two and two together, but apparently it’s not fast enough. It’s not until amber eyes lock on mine that I realize I’m staring at Blake. A knot forms in my throat, and our eyes go wide.

She lets go of her pants and quickly grabs her weapon, aiming at me with precision. I turn around and close my eyes just as fast.

It feels like I caught her doing something so private, like taking a bath, even if she’s just washing her clothes. _Yes, that’s exactly what I wanted to be thinkin’ about: Blake, takin’ bath. Cool. Cool, cool, cool._

“Yang!” she scolds me.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” I mentally slap myself. There I was, just perving on my partner like a gross old man. She has all the right to yell and me and chastise me. Somehow, even if I feel like a total shameful ass for looking at her like that, my heart flutters.

_Oh, no._

I close my eyes shut, hard, “I— I promise I wasn’t thinkin’ anything weird” I mentally slap myself again.

_Good job. Perfect. That’s totally what I wanted to say._

I hear a water splash, and everything goes deadly quiet. I know she isn’t replying to my awful apology or that stupid comment, and this… this silence is going to kill me. I can’t just turn around and look at her. I just thought about what she could do with those fingers. _Shit._

I guess I just made the rest of the mission awkward for everyone. I don’t think I’ll be able to look at her in the morning after this. _Oh, crap!_ We have to share a tent for crying out loud. _Well, if I thought our first meetin’ was awkward, this takes the cake._

“Yang?” Blake sounds scared, not angry. Her voice weak as she speaks my name. I knit my eyebrows together, confused. She sighs, “What were you looking at?”

I open my mouth to say something, but quickly close it. It’s so dark outside I didn’t even notice it was her. I’m not sure what I was supposed to be looking. I don’t think her outfit was too revealing, and to be honest there’s nothing sexual about cleaning some— _Oh_.

“Your ears?” my answer comes out as a question.

She goes silent again.

She’s a faunus. I roll my eyes so hard they go to the back of my skull. I was right, she was a faunus. The bow she had been wearing all the time wasn’t just there because it looked nice and perfectly complemented her hairstyle. She had been using it to hide her ears.

_She… she didn’t want us to know she was a faunus…_

A lump forms in my throat as soon as the thought forms in my head. We’re at a camp, full of faunus who feel so rejected by humanity. They decided to test their luck far away from any of the kingdoms or a town with a knight watch. Suddenly, the thought of faunus covering her animal traits to pass as regular humans is not so far fetched now; it’s a reality, and it’s right behind me.

I can’t really hear her move, but I hope to god she’s not just standing there. My mind tries to connect the dots, now encouraged by my nervousness. The few days I’ve know Blake suddenly flash in my head, and I notice all the tiny things I brushed away before: the small twitches of her bow that weren’t a thing of my imagination after all, her reading a book in the middle of the night with no problem, and the way she reacted when I pointed it out.

Emerald would slap me if she were here. God _, I want to slap myself for being this dense._

What if I said something insensitive before? The sign hanged proudly by the entrance of Pete’s comes back. To think that in the very same town where we found a cozy inn owned by faunus also has a restaurant that considers them animals...

“I…”

“I’m sorry,” I apologize again, but this time it’s not because I was stalking her. “I’m sorry you felt the need to use a bow.”

Blake doesn’t respond and I don’t blame her. Sill, it’s heart wrenching. Every second that passes by makes me feel even worse. I turn my hands into fists, my back still against her. I’m unable to read her eyes, unable to see her face. The warmness in my chest is replaced by more shame. Blake didn’t feel comfortable enough around us. The weight of this feels heavy on my shoulders, until I realize something else: she… she was even wearing the bow before she met us, around town, while spying on Torchwick.

“Yang,” she softly calls me again, and I feel my chest tighten. “Would you have reacted differently if I didn’t have my bow on that day?”

“No,” I reply without giving a second thought. I frown, “Why would I even react differently? I knew you were the huntress I had seen earlier lookin’ at my poster.”

Silence reigns again, and I can’t help but to feel confused. She is talking about the day we met, when Ruby, Weiss and I were spying on Torchwick. I had noticed someone else was in there, and I decided to follow a stranger. My observation skills and my gut told me not to attack her once we were face to face.

After a while, I hear her voice again, “Turn around.”

I swallow hard, and open my eyes again. Slowly, I do as she asked: I turn on my heels. She’s standing by a rock, the white zipper jacket she wore all day drying on top of it. Blake’s wearing a black buttoned vest with coattails that perfectly hugs her figure, a white sleeveless crop undershirt, and a a pair of black shorts with some zippers. 

A pair of black high-heeled boots lay next to the rock, and beside them the rest of her usual get up all mangled together.

Her eyes find mine. She looks worried, tense even, “Thank you.” After holding my gaze for what seems like forever, she sighs as her second pair of ears drop, “This isn’t your fault, it’s complicated…”

She looks away staring at the ground, lost in thought, “When people realize you’re a faunus, they treat you differently. In Vale and Vacuo, we’re lucky if we’re considered second class citizens, but in Atlas and Mistral, we’re pets. Faunus children are separated from their parents at a very young age and sold into slavery.”

She chuckles, “Most of the time, if you’re not around humans, people just assume you’re part of the White Fang.”

Out of all the things I could ever associate faunus with, that despicable organization is probably the last one on my list. As a kid, I heard about many of the attacks carried out by them. Qrow’s disapproving comments still ring in my ears, as the image of him watching the news with a glass of scotch. I frown, feeling my aura flail as some heat from my Semblance wants to get through, “Why would anyone think you’re part of a terrorist organization?”

“Because I’m a faunus, and I’m armed. No one thinks I’m just another huntress, they see me as a threat,” there’s anger in her voice when she replies.

The White Fang have done so many terrible things over the years. They claim that humanity has to pay for the crimes our race committed against theirs. And they aren’t just blatant, they outright say humans are inferior to faunus, an that they won’t stop until every human is dead.

“Instead of having to deal with threats, discrimination and exclusion... I just wear a bow, and just like that, suddenly I’m just another person,” she concludes, her voice filled with pain all over again.

She shrugs, and I bite the inside of my cheek.

“You shouldn’t need to do that,” I state.

Blake looks back at me, bewildered, “What?”

I step forward, “Hidin’ who you are. You shouldn’t need to use a bow to be treated like everyone else.”

She chuckles, a mixture of pain and… happiness?  She points at her ears and moves them for emphasis, “This is not who I am, they are just a part of my body. I don’t want to be defined by them. When I wear the bow, I’m not Blake the faunus. I’m just Blake, and I _want_ to be just Blake.”

“But you’re just Blake, cat ears or not,” I say back, and she blinks, staring at me the same way she did after we saved that family. I continue, “You’re still the same badass huntress I fought alongside today. So what, if maybe you have cute cat ears, but— wait, am I bein’ insensitive if I compliment your ears?”

She laughs, and I can’t believe it. She’s laughing at my question, at my nervousness. We were discussing a serious subject, something that causes her a lot of pain, and suddenly the tension shatters; I’m confused. Also, she looks so beautiful right now.

 _She’s happy_ … a hint of pink on her cheeks.

“What? Have you never flirted with a faunus before?” She sheath Gambol Shroud, and then crosses her arms over her chest her. Now she’s looking at me with those sly honey eyes, tempting me.

My cheeks feel warm and my lips are slightly parted. No words leave my mouth. She knows I’ve let my guard down. _This girl, I swear._ The tension that was in the air several minutes ago is suddenly gone, replaced with the same usual banter between us. The sort of game of cat an mouse that’s always being interrupted.

I laugh again, _oh, no_ , I have to be careful about the puns.

“Oh, I have,” I boast, as if my previous romantic endeavors will somehow save me from this situation. I could give a cocky reply, double down on her game, but instead I shrug, and move my hands back into my pockets. “But I don’t kiss and tell. Plus, I wanna make sure you’re alright after everything you’ve just said and all.”

She blinks again, and it takes her a moment to regain her composure. Then, she smiles at me, it’s sweet, “You can comment on my ears, but don’t let that be the only thing you focus on.”

“Got’cha. Though I don’t think focusin’ on other things to compliment you on is goin’ to be hard,” I wink at her.

She shakes her head, amused, then turns to her stuff again. She still has to clean her black undershirt and her pants. Among the things she’s looking at, there’s Gambol Shroud, which had been sitting next to the rock before she picked it up, probably just within reach in case any enemy tried to attack her. This hasn’t been the first time I’ve been on the other end of that sword.

Now that I think about it, washing our clothes after two consecutives fights sounds like the most reasonable thing to do. We don’t know how long we will be staying at Kuroyuri.

When she’s going to pick up her clothes, she stops herself, and grabs her ribbon first. She holds the long black lace in between her fingers, closely examining it,  “Yang.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you,” she says, and somehow looks more conflicted than a second ago. She grabs her bow with both hands, but stops herself before putting it on.

She looks down at the ribbon for a moment, “Could you…” She looks back at me, her voice soft, “Could you not tell them?” She makes a small pause, “At least for a while?”

I bite my tongue. I know she’s referring to Weiss and Ruby, and I hate that she feels the need to hide that part of hers, but this isn’t my choice to make, so I nod, “Of course. Your secret is safe with me.”

I offer her a friendly smile. At some point she’ll tell them, I know it, and to be honest, I don’t think she has anything to worry about. Ruby and I were both raised the same, except for that part were Raven beat the crap out of me for a couple of years. And Weiss… Weiss knows what being rejected feels like.

She smiles back, and puts her bow back on. Her hands move carefully as she ties the ribbon in its place. Now, once again, her ears are hidden within the black lace. We stare at each other for a while, at first, content with each other. Then, Blake turns on her heels, and starts picking her still dirty clothes.

That’s when I get an idea.

I unzip my jacket.

Blake hears the metal sound of my zipper, just like I expected her to, she stops and turns to look at me, “Uh, Yang. What are you doing?” She knits her eyebrows together.

I shrug, “Oh, just, y’know, I figured I could take the chance to clean my clothes too.”

“You didn’t bring a change of clothes.”

“Oh, what a shame,” I take my scarf off. “I just think it would be very rude of me to sleep in the same tent as you with these dirty rags after you took the time to clean your clothes.” I wink at her as I take off my arm warmers.

Her jaw hangs open as she tries to find the words.

“You’re not seein’ anything past my underwear, though. That’s more of a second laundry date kinda thing,” I smile as I get her to laugh.

“By the way, I can dry your stuff and my stuff as soon as we are done. That’s one of the perks of my Semblance,” I laugh as I walk towards the spot by the river she had just been at. “Which, by the way, we kinda have to exchange some info on that, since we’re partners and all.”

Blake shakes her head, and thank the Maidens for moonlight because I can see it: she blushing. I smile as she continues getting her things together, happy with my small victory. Finally, after all this flirting, I’ve made her flustered.

“I guess that sounds fun,” she smiles and she doesn’t hide the fact that she’s eyeing me.

  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small Bumbleby chapter before the holidays.  
> I still can't believe how nobody in canon figured out that Blake was a faunus before Blake revealed it.  
> Anyways, next chapter you are going to see some familiar faces.


	15. Kuroyuri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: TBH the only episode of volume four I liked is a flashback.  
> I kept thinking about that when writing this chapter.

Stand up.

_My lungs burn._

You have to stand up.

_My face hurts; that last punch really took a toll on me._

_Suddenly I’ve forgotten what feels like not to be in pain._

Stand the fuck up.

_I really wish I didn’t have to do this. I wish I could go back to sleep, I’m really tired. I wish I was back at home, helping dad make dinner, teasing Ruby for buying another engineering magazine and stacking it like it was porn. I wish I could hear her voice one more time…_

_I wish I didn’t miss them so much._

Come on.

_I clench my teeth._

_Ruby is waiting for me. She’s back at home waiting for me while I’m getting my ass kicked. The last time I saw dad, I was a jerk to him. I can’t just let that be the last thing they remember of me. I can’t let this be the end. There’s no way I’m losing this fight. I have to finish what I’ve started. I wanted this._

_Finally, I manage to get on my feet again. My arms hang limp as I try to catch my breath. The weights on my wrist and my ankles make it hard for me to find my balance right away. I take a step back, trying to hold my ground, and reassess the situation._

_My opponent grins, amused at my stubbornness. She moves back into her fighting stance, but much more relaxed than when we first started. Even then, she didn’t take me seriously. I’m nothing but a teenager who hasn’t slept well in weeks, that’s 15 pounds underweight and with 40 pound weights attached to her ankles and wrists._

_I spit dirt and blood, ignoring the strands of dirty blond hair that block my vision. My once gleaming and enviable mane is now reduced to a tangled mess of hair, sweat and soil. My clothes aren’t looking any better. The grey pants I’ve been lent are mostly torn apart, now appearing to be old shorts. The red top is still on one piece, and I’m thankful for that. At least I can move freely while I train, and now, when I’m getting my ass whooped._

_The crowd laughs and cheers at my boldness, but I can’t focus on them, I have to take my opponent down. If I don’t, I won’t be able to be accepted into the tribe: the one thing i’ve been working for since I made it to camp, and it lies just within my reach. The only one in my way is the woman in front of me._

_She raises her right eyebrow, a small quirk I’ve noticed she does every time before she attacks. Just as I expected: she moves forward, throwing another punch straight to my face. She’s tired, but not as much as I am.  I crouch, evading the hit. Then, I shoot my head upwards again, hitting her chin._

_She moves back, and the crowd cheers me on. This time, I’m the one to smile as she rubs her chin in annoyance._

_After she shakes her head, I notice something change in her eyes. Before I know it, she’s right back at me, throwing punch after punch. I move back, barely managing to get out of her way. She’s gaining ground. When she has me cornered against the crowd, she throws a double roundhouse kick._

 

_I don’t know how I do it, but I manage to throw myself out of the way just in time. After throwing her kicks, she looks back at me. Her eyebrow shoots up, and I move out of the way again, rolling on the ground. She doesn’t get to me when she throws her punch. I’ve just managed to get a step ahead._

_That’s it: my opening._

_She yells and dashes towards me. She turns her hand into a fist, ready to land a right hook. I hold my breath, and keep my arms up giving her a free pass. Her knuckles meet my belly. I tense my abdominal muscles. The direct hit to my stomach still makes me want to throw up. I clench my teeth, and she smiles. She knows there’s no way I’m getting back from this… but she’s wrong._

_I roar, setting my hair on fire. letting the heat quickly devour me. I use all the strength I’ve gathered after being beaten into a pulp. I hold my hands together and bring them down against her back. Thanks to the extra pounds added by my weights, a single hit is able to bring her down._

_Her body falls to the ground, and I manage to regain my composure, victorious._

_I did it, I’ve beaten my rival._

_Under my mother’s unfair rules, I was able to win.  All this bullshit is over, and I’m finally going to be treated as an equal. I won’t be forced to do the shittiest work in camp, I won’t be treated like a bag of potatoes. No more sleepless nights and ridiculous training sessions with Shay D. or Emerald. After months, I’ve finally earned my place in the tribe._

_People cheer and boo around me, surprised at my sudden victory. They can’t decide whether they like my style, or the consider the move I pulled cheating. I couldn’t any care less. If I wasn’t so tired, I would be beaming and boasting about my victory._

_The fire inside me subsides, and I laugh, relieved._

_“You’re disqualified,” my mother speaks and the crowd goes dead silent._

_I turn to look at her. I frown, a drop of sweat and dirt gets in my eyes. “What?”_

_“What was the first thing I told you before I bought you here?” she asks, her brows furrowed in annoyance and disappointment. She stands on the small platform located right in front of her tent. Everyone in the crowd looks at her as she crosses her arm, then they look at me, expecting an answer just as she does._

_I have trouble catching my breath, barely remembering my name, and still, she asks me to recall something she said more than a year ago. One would think I’d remember those words considering she has barely spoken to me since I got here, but the answer evades me._

_I want to scream, to cry. I’ve done what I’ve been asked to do. Emerald said that if I could beat a member of the tribe in hand to hand combat at Saturday’s noon rough house, I’d finally be recognized, so I did it._

_I don’t understand. I even participated with the weights I’ve been told to wear since the past two weeks to increase my stamina and strength. I fucking fought with a handicap and I’m still getting shit on, why—_

“From now on, you will not be using your Semblance anymore.” _Her words echo in my head._

_Raven squints her eyes when she realizes I’ve remembered, “You’ve disobeyed my order. You’re banished from the tribe, never to return.”_

_Emerald moves forward, but stops herself before she extends her arm towards me. She stands back next to my mother, clasping one of her hands with the other as she looks at me. She bites her bottom lip._

_My eyes go wide and my jaw drops to the ground. A moment ago, I thought all the problems I had were gone, now my world turns upside down. I’ve been here for more than a year for nothing. I’ve been beaten to the ground, deprived of food and sleep for nothing. I’ve lost weight, my appetite, my clothes and my weapon. I’ve accomplished nothing. I’ve gotten no answers._

_Raven shakes her head. Ember Celica moves slightly on her hips. She lifts her hand, ready to dismiss the crowd._

_“Wait!” I yell._

_Raven stops, and looks back to me. Her brows knit together like she’s analyzing my actions._

_“Give me a second chance.”_

_“You’re not worthy of a second chance,” she snaps, and Emerald moves forward again. Crimson eyes dart from Raven to me._

_“Yes, I am!” I yell at her, clenching my fists. “I can prove it!”_

_I’ve cried myself to sleep thinking about my family, asking myself why I made such a rash decision a year ago, when I thought she actually cared about me. I thought that after almost dying and being saved by her, my mother wanted to reconnect with me, and that my dad was the only thing between us. I really thought I’d get my answers after so many years of keeping quiet and missing Summer every night. But now, a year and two months later, I know that if I want to get somewhere, I’m going to have to push myself through anything that she throws my way._

_If she wants me to be worthy, I will be worthy of her fucking approval._

_Emerald opens her mouth to say something, but Raven takes a step forward. “Someone give Laverne a weapon,” she instructs. She waits for my opponent gets back on her feet._

_Once Laverne is ready, she’s given a metallic bo staff by someone._

_Raven walks towards the end of her stage, then she stops.  “If this kid thinks she’s worth my time, then there’s no place for mercy.”_

_The crowd cheers._

_There are so many things I want to say, but I know I’m not going to get the answer I want from her, so instead I turn to face my opponent one more time. Laverne flicks one of her wrists, and the staff extends to its full length. Soon after, the ends get electrified, powered by the only Dust chamber of the weapon, right in the middle of the staff._

_She waves the weapon around, getting used to its weight, and I take a step back. My arms go limp again. I have to use as less energy as possible; since I’ve got little to no aura left, I’d rather use it to strike. This means that I only have one shot at this. Of course I can thank myself for blocking hits instead of evading them early on; after my aura broke, I knew I had fucked up._

_Laverne’s right eyebrow shots up. I turn to the side, avoiding one of the ends of the staff as she leans forward. She moves her other feet, and brings the other end of her weapon towards me. I turn again, mirroring my previous move. She doesn’t give me time to think, she continues to advance, and I’m limited to turn and turn to dodge her attacks._

_I know I’m going to be cornered soon. She switches her tactic, and swipes the staff downwards. The dangerously electrified ends of the weapon barely touch a hair on my head as lean down and move to the side. I turn, my arms hanging in front of me, as I face her again. She turns on her heels and attacks again in a different direction._

_Right, left, right, left. Up, down, down, left, right. When we fall into a rhythm, I know I’m in trouble. Even if we’re both tired, I’m nowhere near in shape as she is. Also, I know her plan isn’t to tire me up, she’s fighting in front of Raven, so she isn’t going to show any sort of mercy. One hit will knock me out for sure, but I can bet she wants to beat me into a pulp._

_Left, left, right, left. Down, down, up, left, right. She’s going to make her move soon, otherwise we will continue waltzing around as the crowd starts booing us._

_Right, left, right, left. Up, down, down, left, right. Her right eyebrow shots up and she leans forward._

_I twist, allowing her to invade my personal space. Her staff passes an inch away from my shoulder. She looks at me, clenching her fists. She holds the farther end of the staff hard and brings it to my face, but just as she does that, I close the distance between us. My body is inches away from hers._

_I move my left foot forward. I use my shin to push one of her knees back. Her stance is broken, and I step forward, pushing her body with my shoulders. She falls on her ass, and I don’t waste a second before I kick her weapon away from her hands. An old style roundhouse kick. The metallic sound of the bo staff hitting the ground is enough to make the crowd go silent: I’ve disarmed my rival._

_People cheer, and I try to catch my breath as my opponent gets up. Her staff now lays abandoned several feet away from her. Laverne will not waste her time to get her weapon back. She knows she has fucked up, and I can see fire in her eyes. She wants me to go down._

Fuck, these weights are heavy, but at least the time I’ve spent with them has paid off.

_I have no time to recover, she rushes towards me and starts punching. I move side to side, stepping back as I let her blow off some steam. If I had more energy, I could block her hits with the weights attached to my body and pretend I have Ember Celica with me, but that’s not an option._

_I only have one chance, and I’m not going to waste it._

_Left hook, right hook. She favours her left, even if she’s right handed. Her fist is dangerously close to my right eye. I have to focus, she’s getting bolder._

_Right hook, left hook, right hook. Her right eyebrow shots up. This is my opening._

_She goes for an uppercut, and I jump back. I move to evade it, but instead of keeping a defensive approach, I throw an uppercut with my left. She doesn’t block it, she grabs my wrist. Her fingers wrap around the weight, and she won’t let go of my hand, so I throw a right punch. She grabs my other wrist and holds my hand in place._

_Laverne cracks a smile. She’s got me locked in place, and she’s no letting go. The crowd goes silent, waiting for her finishing move. She’s got me at her mercy after all… or that’s what she thinks._

_She’s completely unaware that I never intended to actually hit her with those predictable punches._

_I smile back at her, and she quickly furrows her brows. She doesn’t realize that I wanted this, that I wanted her to be as close to me as possible; that I wanted her to be locked in. Her grip on my wrists grows stronger. I won’t be able to break free by moving my arms, but I already knew that._

_I bring my hands together, like I’m making a prayer. Then, I twist my right hand back, and her left hand follows the motion, tightening her grip. By doing that,  her chest is now exposed. With the same movement, I elbow the center of her thorax._

_She loses her breath, and the grip on my wrists loosens. I extend my right hand, and hit her neck with the side of my hand; she loses her balance._

_Both of my wrists are now free, and next move is clear. I step forward again, and I punch her right in the fucking jaw with my left fist. My knuckles connect with her bone, and I roar, only this time, my hair doesn’t ignite. I throw all the aura I have left into that last punch, and her body is sent flying against the crowd._

_Laverne falls on a group of bandits, and everyone’s jaws around her hang open._

_I did it. I won._

_The crowd erupts in cheers and whistles. I can hear the people congratulate me as I stumble back. Somehow I feel like everything gets mixed into a blur. I manage to stand, but I feel very dizzy._

_The sound of metal hitting the ground grabs my attention instantly, and I turn to find a pair of yellow gauntlets lying a couple of feet away from me. It takes me a moment to realize it’s Ember Celica. Right afterwards, I get what it means._

_The tribe members come towards me, ready to pat and hug me after putting up such an entertaining show. My eyes, however, search for the person who threw my weapon towards me: Raven. She has her back turned towards me, walking back to her tent. I’m not sure what expresion she wears on her face, but what I do know is that the only thing keeping me from collapsing is Emerald Sustrai holding me in place._

 

* * *

 

 

Staying up late might not always be the best choice to make when you know you have to wake up early the next day. But, if you want me to be honest, I think this time was totally worth it. Blake and I spent at least two hours talking about our Semblances last night, and it was a great to learn more about each other. Plus, Blake’s voice is always enjoyable to listen to.

Turns out my initial thoughts on her Semblance were right: she does leave a shadow of herself behind. According to Blake, they take the same position she’s at before activating her ability, and can be used as a decoy. That’s not the only way you can go about it, though. She also uses it as platforms to impulse herself while fighting, like she did when we were protecting the faunus family. Not only that, but if she uses Dust while activating her Semblance, her clone copies the properties of the vial used. That can come in handy when you want to lure an enemy into a trap and have the decoy exploit on them.

Although her Semblance might seem pretty straightforward, the different ways it can be used and combined with other moves makes it so flexible and convenient. Knowing this will definitely help us to work better when we’re on the battlefield. If we already fought alongside each other like we have been doing it for years, then this will definitely make us the dream team.

Of course, just as she explained how her ability works, I also shared my secrets. The first thing she asked was about my eyes changing color, and my hair getting set on fire. I looked menacing, and I threw her off for a second.

I did my best to explain that Semblance manifests itself physically with very specific traits. My eyes going from a deep lavender to a bright red is something I can’t really control, but not necessarily means that I’ve fully activated my Semblance. This doesn’t help my case when Qrow calls it a ‘temper tantrum’.

But, aside from those side effects, my Semblance is more than me getting an inhuman boost in strength. My aura absorbs the energy of each attack thrown my way, and later, I can use all the power I’ve stored to throw it back to my opponents. On one hand, it’s very handy, since I can use my enemy’s force against them, but on the other side, it can be extremely dangerous. Since my Semblance needs to be fueled by the attacks of my opponent, I have to take in damage, and if I’m not careful enough, my aura can break and leave me very vulnerable.

I’ve been working on that ever since I went to Raven’s camp to train, and I assure Blake that I’m not going to pull some stupid stunt and put my life in danger. I’ve done that, and _I don’t plan to do it again_.

After the whole exchange, we go back to our tent, and sleep soundly for five hours before my sister’s loud voice, alongside Zwei’s barks, wake us up. We pack everything, and say our goodbyes to the chief and to Sohaib’s family. The little boy hugs me one more time before we leave, and he promises to become just as strong as Blake and me when he grows up. Maybe that’s what the settlement needs: a strong warrior to keep them safe.

It takes us less than an hour to finally reach Kuroyuri, and we’re greeted with a long white wall that surrounds the entire town, and a circular wooden door that looks smaller than we initially thought. Two three story high towers are located to each side of the entrance to the town, and the lookouts stomp their feet once we’re close enough to the doors.

“State your names and your intentions,” one of the lookouts says. The man holds his naginata close to his side. His deep green eyes stare at us.

“Hi, my name is Ruby Rose,” my sister states, then she gestures towards us. “These are my teammates: Weiss, Blake, and my sister Yang. We’re huntresses in search of the one responsible for the latest ambushes and robberies to shops and caravans.”

The two soldiers look at each other, and their brows furrow under their kabuto-styled helmets. Their armor makes a small noise as they turn their bodies to each other and then back to us.

“Why did your search bring you to Kuroyuri?” the other guard asks, his hand falls onto his katana, resting comfortably at his hip.

_Yeah, sure, lemme just tell you all the info we’ve gathered about Torchwick._

I know Ruby isn’t just going to spill the beans about one of the most powerful merchants of Remnant actually being a high profile criminal purposefully hijacking trade in order to increase his sales and all that.

“Oh, you guys, come on!” One of the wooden doors opens. A head pops out from behind. A young woman, with bright orange hair teases the two lookouts before resting her big teal eyes on us. “If you’re huntresses, we’d love to have you in town!”

“Miss Valkyrie!” one of the men gasps as he watches the gal opening the entrance to the town for us. He stomps one of his feet.

“Relaaaaaaax, Oriol, I’ll take it from here,” she smiles at him and gestures us to come inside.

The two lookouts sigh and return to their stiff position, looking at the forest.

The four of us look at each other, but we decide to take the opportunity presented to us. We follow the rock path that leads into the town, crossing the entrance. Zwei happily makes his way in, and the redhead excitedly greets him. The woman who decided to welcome us into the city is shorter than my sister.

She wears her hair short up to her shoulder; it’s perfectly styled to look groomed but somewhat unpredictable. Tiny freckles cover most of her face in a way I can’t rival. Her fashion sense, on the other hand, is something I can match. She’s wearing a white shirt with a purple neck and a heart shaped boob window. On top of it, a really cool dark blue bomber jacket with hints of pink, which perfectly matches her short pink skirt and the laces of her boots. On her ridiculously thick belt, her weapon hangs on the side, folded.

“Uh, thank you?” My sister looks at the woman and shrugs.

“Hey, no problem! The name’s Nora,” she waves her hands in front of her face, and fakes a laugh. She then places both hands on her hips. “It’s nice to meet new faces. Ren and I are the only huntsmen in town, so it’s really cool to see more pass by.”

“The town has its own huntsmen?” Weiss’s eyebrow shoots up. It’s not weird to find this surprising. Usually huntsmen either travel or stay close to the big cities, like Vale or Vauco.

“Well, yeah. Ren was born here, so of course he’s gonna stay and protect his home!” She rolls her eyes. Apparently, the notion of this guy leaving Kuroyuri is _that_ ridiculous. “I moved in when I was little, and I’m not going anywhere without him.”

“But what about you guys? Four huntresses traveling together to catch a single bad guy?” she wriggles her eyebrows and leans forward. “Must be one tough mother trucker to have so many people after them.”

“Or maybe he has the habit of runnin’ around Remnant like nobody’s business,” I place a hand on my hip.

“Can you take us to someone that has any sort of business relation to Roman Torchwick?” Weiss cuts right to the chase.

“Torchwick? The guy with the big antique and Dust shop in town?” Nora cocks her brow, surprised that a man like him could have anything to do with our investigation. Then she jumps on her feet, “Sure, the mayor can probably help you. Follow me!”

Nora guides us through the main street. Around us there are many shopping carts owned by small producers and artisans. I can see Ruby getting distracted by looking at some knives and unique blade designs as we walk by. Weiss, of course, keeps her in check. I swear they act like a married couple sometimes. _Sometimes?_ All the darn time.

The place seems pretty crowded, and lively. The merchants and their clients chat happily as they exchange goods. Zwei happily sniffs around, trying to gather as much information as he can. I catch Blake keeping an eye on him at all times.

Just as Zwei, I investigate our surroundings as we follow our newest acquaintance. The city, aside from being filled with children and youngsters moving from side to side, looks to have grown a lot in the past decade. Although the architecture looks very traditional, with all the wood and the hipped tile roofs, some buildings look much older than the rest. Something tells me that having two huntsman in town to keep it safe has encouraged more people to move in.

Among the many merchants and possible clients, I also notice the presence of some beggars. Most of them are young faunus, children asking for the owner of a shop to give them some spare food. Others are clearly trying to distract the owner while their friend steals.

My eyes dart to Nora. She can hardly be any older than us, which leads me to believe that maybe Ren is much older than her, or, that at some point, there was a third older huntsman. If the town has their personal hunstem to protect it, they must have or have had a teacher to pass their knowledge down to them. Hopefully, they didn’t die, which is what you can always assume of huntsmen.

I try to figure out what sort of weapon the woman uses. It’s folded several times, which makes it hard for me to decipher its original form. Given the size of the barrel, I can guess it’s some sort of a grenade launcher.

To my surprise, Nora turns around. She continues to guide us, but now walks backwards. She clasps her hands behind her back and pouts, furrowing her brows.

“Is… there something wrong?” Ruby asks.

Nora’s eyes move from her to me, and then back to Ruby again. “Ruby and Yang Rose... Are you two sisters? Like really? ´Cause you look nothing alike,” she points towards us.

My sister and I look at each other and smile. We completely get it, even if we know we do share some traits.

“Same dad, different mom,” I reply. “It’s Yang Xiao Long, by the way.” I give Nora some finger guns and she laughs.

“Oh! I get it. That makes soooo much more sense. Like, don’t take me wrong, you’re both pretty, but one of you is short and all cute with dark hair and the other one’s like tall, blonde and full of freckles and...” she she shakes her head and turns around on her heels again. She looks back at me and winks, “XL, it fits ya.”

I laugh, and I can hear Weiss sighing in annoyance. I smirk, “Oh, come on, princess, don’t get jealous. You know you’re the only one who doesn’t need keys to drive me crazy.”

Nora laughs, and Blake snickers, hiding her smile behind a hand.

“I swear to God, Yang—” the Atlesian cuts herself short when she realizes our guide has stopped.

“Rennie,” Nora leans forward, trying to catch the attention of a very attractive young man with long black hair.

“Nora, if this is about the Atlesian recipe someone told you is for the best strawberry cake in all Remnant, I already told you: those ingredients are not available in Vale, you have to wait until I can find a way around it,” the tall handsome man replies. His eyes, the same shade of bright pink as a lock of his hair, continue to scan a document next to a short man dressed in a formal attire.

“No, dummy, I brought some pretty travelers,” Nora smiles at him and makes jazz hands at us.

The man next to, who I assume is Ren, clears his throat, and the guy next to him raises his head to look at us. Ren puts the documents down and bows slightly. “I apologize. My name is Lie Ren, and this is Mayor Huang Bao. How can we help you?”

“Hi, my name is Ruby Rose, and these are my teammates,” my sister gestures to us as re greets the two strangers. “We wanted to know if you have seen Roman Torchwick lately.”

My sister beckons towards the mayor, and Bao scratches his chin, “Well, I’m afraid to say he hasn’t been around town in a year or so. The last time he came to visit, he opened his antique shop down the street. His Dust shop was very popular, and a helpful resource for our huntsmen,” he gestures to Ren and Nora.

“I was glad to learn that he has chosen to invest more into the town.”

Ruby exchanges a glance with me. It doesn’t seem right for us to have arrived before Torchwick did. He had methods of transportation, while we had to walk all the way here.

“Do you, perhaps, possess any sort of documents on his establishments or acquisitions? Any sort of balance his workers might have handed to you might help us,” Blake asks politely. “We believe we have decoded the method in which the mafia attacking merchants and shops selects their next targets. After closely following their trail, we concluded that Roman’s shops might be their next target, and Kuroyuri seems like their current location.”

“The bandits, here?” the mayor hums. “I’ll see what I can do. Perchance you could work together with Mister Lie and Miss Valkyrie while I find something useful.”

Blake just found a way to get the mayor to cooperate while not truly revealing what we plan to do. Like I said, Torchwick is a well known merchant. Us coming here and claiming he’s a danger might not be the best way to deal with this. Weiss squints at Blake, fully aware of what the Vacuan plans.

“Thank you, we appreciate your help. We shouldn’t mention anything to the workers yet, if they are suspicious, it might alarm the people we’re actually looking for,” Ruby smiles at the mayor.

Bao bows slightly towards us and then to Ren, “Mister Lie, we’ll get back to this later. I’m sure the library can wait a another day before we decide how to proceed with the remodeling.”

Ren bows back, and the mayor leaves.

“So,” Nora elongates the word as she turns on her heels. She takes a place next to her partner, “These famous mafia that has been causing a lot of trouble downtown Vale decided to pay us a visit? And most importantly, attack Torchwick’s shops?”

“Well, considering the shops they have already attacked in Vale _and_ Vacuo, it makes perfect sense for them to go for someone as powerful and rich as Torchwick,” Weiss straightens her back. “And, we managed to capture some of the gang members, which had a map pointing Kuroyuri as their next target.”

Nora smiles, full of mischief, and places her hands on her hips, “Good thing, I was getting bored! Aren’t you excited, Rennie?”

The man turns to her and offers her a sweet smile, “Maybe, although I’m not too keen on knowing we are being targeted by a crime organization. However, I’m thankful to have back up. We haven’t seen many huntsmen around since we were children.”

“I know, right? A team of huntresses moving together all over Sanus, that’s so cool!” Nora exclaims.

Ruby laughs awkwardly, “Yeah, the situation kinda called for it.”

“What about you?” Weiss cocks a brow. “If you ask me, I believe is rather odd for you to be huntsmen when neither have left Kuroyuri in your entire life. You don’t seem to come from a family of huntsmen.”

“Well, that’s a funny story,” Nora chuckles, and Ren sighs, “Okay, maybe funny’s not the right word. I say we were lucky.”

“Lucky?” I ask.

“Yeah... When we were children, the village was attacked by his giant and powerful Grimm called the ‘Nuckelavee’. Ren’s dad was the lead hunter of the town and tried to gather as many people as possible to fight it. Rennie and I were too young, of course, and I was just an orphan running away from a city raided by bandits,” Nora narrates without making a single pause. Blake and I exchange glances, there’s a hint of worry in her eyes. “It was so massive and scary! The thing kept destroying everything around it, and attacking everyone!”

Ren places a hand on her shoulder. The small gesture is enough for her to find her center again and to calm down. He looks at her with so much love and warmth, they are more than just partners, I can tell. Nora lets go of the breath she was holding.

“Many wonderful men and women lost their lives that day, including my parents,” he added, his voice soft and calm, his shoulders, relaxed.

“We thought we were going to die, right then and there. The Grimm charged at me, but…!” her eyes light up. “Out of nowhere, a huntsman came to save us! He shielded me with his sharp-edge scythe. I still remember how his red cape fluttered in the wind, like some sort of superhero!”

My eyes go wide at the realization. Nora’s description sounds so familiar, I look at my sister to find her having the same amount of amazement written all over her face.

“Once he distracted the Nuckelavee, I decided to act on my father’s teachings, and went to help Nora,” Ren continues. “Due to the high stress situation, I unlocked my Semblance: I was able to cloak our presence from the Grimm. The huntsman slayed the beast right in front of us.”

Blake straightens her ears under her bow, I notice a slight tug on the ribbon.

“Was the huntsman, by any chance, named Qrow?” I dare to ask.

“Yes!” Nora snaps her fingers.

“That’s our uncle!” my sister grins, and Weiss audibly groans, holding her face with her hand.

Nora throws a couple of finger guns at us, “See, I knew you two were cool!” She elbows Ren slightly. “Ruby and XL are cool.”

“XL?”

“Yang Xiao Long, nice to meet you,” I smile and offer Ren a hand. He blinks, surprised at my forwardness, but then shakes it with a smile.

“Wait,” Nora brings her hands together. “Is it Qrow Xiao Long or Qrow Rose?,” she gestures towards us with clasped hands.

“It doesn’t matter,” Weiss shakes her head, interrupting Ruby from being able to reply. I’m kind of thankful for that, giving away that specific detail about my uncle to a girl who’s hometown got raided by bandits isn’t a good idea. I’m not even sure if the Branwens were responsible for it, but I wouldn't risk it. Weiss continues, “That man is insufferable, but I’m glad that you two are safe.”

“Am I missing something?” Blake asks me, her brows furrowed as she tries to connect the dots.

“Oh, Weiss hates my uncle,” I fill my partner in.

“He’s an alcoholic,” Weiss quickly adds.

“What? He was like, the most coordinated guy we had ever met. Right, Rennie?”

He opens his mouth to respond, but Weiss interrupts him before he can utter a word, “You two were children when you met him, and he saved your lives. I wouldn’t fault you for not questioning him.”

“Weiss!” My sister protests.

The Atlesian presses her lips together, and Ruby pouts at her for being rude.

“In any case,” Ren makes a pause, as he tries to divert the attention from the subject. “If you are indeed related to him, we’d love to provide you with some accomodation. Have you registered at any inn yet?”

“No, they haven’t.”

“No, we haven’t." Even if I reply, Nora is faster than me.

They both exchange glances and the huntress smiles as she looks at her partner. Ren sighs, “We are friends with a great innkeeper in town, we’d love to pay for your stay.”

“We wouldn’t want to impos—” my sister begins.

“Please, we insist,” Nora smiles at her, clasping both of her hands behind her back.

Although the four of us don’t like taking so many thing for granted (after all, the faunus we had save had already re-stocked our supplies), we decide to stay at the inn Ren and Nora recommend to us, but instead of letting them pay for our stay, we manage to arrange lunch together at their home to talk more about Qrow and get to know each other better.

Turns out I was right, they are more than just hunting partners. They are _together_ together. It’s kind of endearing to watch as Nora derails any conversation and see how Ren can keep her back on track so easily. The looks they give each other: she always wears a playful smile on her lips, and he keeps an eye on her, aware of her mischief.

Even if I take the time to observe the two huntsmen, I also keep an eye on the town. There’s no sign of any of Torchwick’s suited henchmen, and the shop that apparently belongs to him seems pretty ordinary. The workers are young, and dressed in a simply white shirt, grey pants uniform. The rest of the crowd invading the streets with their chores and outings don’t raise any suspicion. For a moment, I’m afraid we got here late.

When we finally get to the inn, and the couple tells us they’ll be waiting for us at their home —located  two blocks away of the place we’re staying— by two for lunch, our team decides to rent two rooms. Instead of the four of us being cramped in a bedroom with two single beds, we match our sleeping arrangements to the one we had at the faunus camp: Ruby and Weiss share a room, and Blake and I share the second one. Zwei stays with Ruby and Weiss for obvious reasons.

“Hey, Yang?” Blake’s soft voice drags me away from my thoughts as I exit the bathroom.

I turn to her, realizing she seems uncomfortable. She has her feet close together, like she just changed her mind on where she was going.

“Yeah?”

“I’m not feeling good. Do you think they’ll mind if I stay here?” she grabs one of her arms, standing by her bed.

“Uh… I don’t think so,” I frown. “Do you need anything?”

Blake shakes her head, “No, it’s okay. I’m just.... “She struggles to find the words, and I’m at loss. It’s so strange for her not to able to communicate so smoothly. “It’s one of _those_ days, like… camps,” she shrugs.

“Oh,” I snicker. It sucks to be on a mission when you are on your period. I’m lucky I can use my Semblance in my favor whenever I get cramps. “It’s okay, we all have to deal with that at some point. I’ll tell Ruby and Weiss that you’re ‘indisposed’, don’t worry. Are you sure you don’t need anything? I can get you pads or something from town.”

“No, no, it’s okay. I’ve got everything covered” she blushes slightly. She crosses her arms over her belly. “The first day is always the worst, and I always try to lay down until it passes.”

I wave at her, “It’s cool, you should rest. If we ended up finding Roman today, I don’t think you’d be in proper fightin’ shape, which would put you in danger.”

She offers me a small smile, and I smile back, letting her continue with what she was doing. Blake arranges her bed to properly lay down, and I decide that maybe it’d be best for me to give her some privacy. I order my clothes inside my duffle bag and close it before leaving the bedroom. Maybe she’ll feel better tonight.Plus, by the looks of it, I don’t think we’ll find Torchwick today.

I dust off my jacket and walk over to Ruby and Weiss’s bedroom. Nonchalantly, I knock on the door and wait for them to answer. I hear Zwei’s little paws tapping on the ground towards the dor.

“Hey, Yang,” my sister opens the door with a bright smile. She hasn’t changed her clothes, but I think she has taken the time to brush her hair. I’m not saying we should get all dressed up and fancy for a lunch, but I’d have expected her to take a quick shower after being in the woods for two days.

“Where’s Blake?”

I shrug, “She’s not feelin’ well. She’s goin’ to stay and try to catch some Zs. Where’s Weiss?”

Just as I finish saying the Atlesian’s name, the bathroom door opens, and after a big cloud of steam comes out, the white haired girl exits the small room. She has a towel on her arm, a brush on one hand, and a small bag with bathroom products on the other one.

“What?” her brows furrow when she notices my sister’s eyes and mine on her. She doesn’t understand how good she looks with her new set of clothes and a well brushed and clean hair. Her pale skin even looks smoother than before. The white and red sleeveless shirt and skirt fit her well.

“Are you a magician? Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears,” I grin, and Weiss rolls her eyes so hard they go blank.

She continues her way to her bed to put her belongings into her bag. Her hips sway side to side like she was a model, and I laugh at her sass. When she’s putting on her black belt, Zwei jumps on Ruby’s bed to lay down and look at her.

“Yang,” I turn to look at Ruby, who scolds me for ogling her teammate, a hint of a slight blush on her cheeks.

I smirk, “Chill, I just wanted to know if you were ready to go.”

“Isn’t Blake coming as well?” Weiss puts on her jacket.

“She’s not feeling well,” Ruby shrugs. “But yeah, we’re ready.”

“Wait, before we go,” Weiss beckons me closer, and I decide to finally cross the doorframe. By the way she looks at me, I know that I have to close the door behind me, so I do. “I know that Blake was purposely hiding our true motives, but if your uncle truly saved those two, I think we can trust them.”

“I thought you said Qrow was an incorrigible drunk?” I give her a bewildered look.

“I did,” she sighs. “But, I also believe we should stop Torchwick as soon as possible. I think we will be able to make them cooperate, and if we do, we will have a pair of extra hands to stop our target.”

“But, you said you didn’t want to get more people involved,” my sister points out.

“I know,” Weiss sighs again and nods. “But this is different. They aren’t leaving Kuroyuri any time soon, and like Yang said: making contacts is good for future missions.”

I smile at her, and Weiss rolls her eyes again. She’s thinking forward, and I agree completely with her reasoning. Qrow not only saved them, but also helped these two. That means they must be trustworthy. My uncle knows his way around Remnant, and even if Raven has told me a lot of things about Qrow, I, for myself, know that we can trust him.

“Okay, but we all agree to only tell them, right?” Ruby shots both of us look. “The mayor doesn’t seem like a bad dude, but the more people that know about this, the more likely Torchwick will be on his toes.”

“True, besides, he doesn’t even know we know where he’s goin’,” I add.

The three of us nod and decide to finally leave Ruby and Weiss’s room to join our hosts. Two blocks later, Nora greets us at the door of their home. She guides us through their big ass house, giving us a small tour as she talks about the innkeeper whose inn we’re staying at.

The decorations all seem to be of Ren’s picking, they look antique, expensive and handpicked by someone with really good tastes in arts.  Something tells me that most of the paintings, vases and rugs have been there since he was a kid. Since Nora said that she ran away from her hometown before she made it to Kuroyuri, it’s safe to assume that this house is one Ren grow up in. The only thing that seems out of place compared to the overall calming and stylish interior are some very colorful pillows with different animal shapes and a pink home entertainment system that screams Nora all the way.

Before we finally make it to the dinner room, I notice several portraits laid next to a very slim looking TV and other surfaces neatly placed against the walls. They illustrate what seemed like a very happy looking family. Some of them were of a attractive man with a long beard, long dark hair tied in a bun and a green hunting uniform; some others had a young woman with purplish hair, a sweet smile and bright pink eyes; a couple of them were of a happy looking young boy, who was clearly Ren at an early age. It’s no mystery to why he’s so attractive, both of his parents were knockouts in the looks departments, but you can clearly tell which traits he inherited from both of them. He has his mother’s eyes, but the shape of his father’s; his smile is sweet as his mother’s was, but his chin and cheekbones are his father’s.

Amongst the Lie family pictures, I can also spot some taken by Nora and Ren, and a really cute drawing of them signed by an artist, probably from Kuroyuri. It’s dated, and it was made last year, when Ren wore his hair tied into a bun, and Nora didn’t have her stylish bomber jacket.

Nora catches me staring at one of her ‘selfies’ with her boyfriend when Ren comes from the kitchen with a huge warm pot filled with soup. He gathers up at the table and serves the best ramen I’ve ever had in my life. I swear to God, my dad might be an excellent cook, but he has nothing on Ren. This man is a master. Even if I want, like, ten servings of this delicious meal, Nora has beaten me to it, and _boy_ , can that girl eat.

“So, wait, Qrow didn’t train you then?” Ruby asks Nora in the middle of the conversation.

“Oh no, he said he had some important business. He gave Ren a couple of tips on how to use his knife, and explained to me that I had to find a bigger hammer to use as a weapon, but he didn’t stay for more than a week here,” Nora finishes her bowl. “He sent a letter before he left though.”

“Two weeks later, a friend of him came into town,” Ren serves his girlfriend another serving before she can start begging him to, and places it in front of her. “A man by the name of Peter Port asks for us, and tell us that we’ll be trained to be huntsman.”

“And he was like, the _best_! He taught us how to build our own weapons, how to use Dust, how to fight in had to hand combat, and to aim, and… he had the greatest mustache in all human history,” Nora rambles. “He told  bunch of stories about his travels around Sanus. He once wrestled a Beringel with his own two hands!”

My sister gasps enthusiastically, and Nora continues narrating a couple of tales of this mysterious mustached man with the strength of a hundred Ursa, trying to imitate his deep voice. Weiss looks at her with her brows furrowed, horrified by the brute actions of the man, and I can’t help but to laugh.

“So, Port helped you guys rebuild the town and helped protect it while you were trainin’,” I conclude.

“Oh no, he stayed for a little over a year, he had other stuff to do,” Nora waves her hand. “By the age of ten we were kicking all the Grimm butt around the area, and helping to rebuild.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Weiss crosses her arms.

“It was dangerous, yes, but not impossible,” Ren reassures her. “We followed his instructions, and made sure not to rush into enemies. We only fought when it was necessary.”

“Yeah, besides, with the Nuckelavee gone, the Grimm that came our way were nothing we couldn't handle.” Nora exclaims. “Like Jaune said, with all the positive energy of the town with all the rebuilding and Port’s presence and help, the Grimm were kept at bay. So, it was easy peasy.”

“Jaune?” Ruby asks.

“Oh, yeah, Jaune! He was Port’s student, and traveled along with him when his professor came here,” Nora explains.

“He’s the only son of the Arc family,” Ren clarifies. “He has been training since his early age to become a huntsman, it’s only natural that a skilled huntsman like Port is his tutor.”

“Wait, the Arcs have a son?” Weiss shots Ren a bewildered look.

“Yeah, one would think that with having seven sisters, his existence would generate a fanclub all by itself,” Nora laughed. “But who cares about politics these days, am I right? All that matters is that he’s pretty, right Rennie?”

“Yes, he was and he was also very polite. I wonder how he’s doing now days…”

Nora rests her face on her hands, “Such a shame he hasn’t come around since we were kids, I bet you’d totally ask him out.”

“Nora,” Ren sighs. His face quickly twist into one of grief. “People always gave him a hard time for being an Arc.”

“What do you mean?” Ruby asks him, curiosity taking over.

“What, don’t you know about the Arcs?”

Even if Nora’s the one speaking, I look over at Weiss. She seems to have tapped out of the conversation when Nora confirmed Jaune’s family name. I get it, the Arcs have been one of the renowned families from Vale who’s name was only made bigger after the war. Not only were they one of the only survivors of the Vytal Massacre, but their claims when they returned to Vale gathered everyone’s attention. They are considered controversial by many.

I can only assume that Weiss learned about them when she was studying in Atlas, or rather, trained by the military. Maybe she also know about the crazy stories of Ser Arc.

“His great grandfather was like taken over by something during the Vytal massacre. He lost his credibility as a knight, and was asked to leave the royal guard,” Ren explains. “His descendants have managed to restore some of the reputation he lost to their family, but many still find Ser Arc’s behaviour as a black spot on their treasured history.”

“So... uncle Qrow hired a teacher for you two?” Ruby’s voice brings Weiss back from her thoughts as she tries to drive away the conversation into something less tense.

“I don’t think Port was paid for all of that,” Nora shrugged. “I think he asked for a favor, and that’s how we got a chance to become the strong huntsmen we are now,” Nora strikes a pose flexing her arms, and I get the sudden urge to challenge her to an arm wrestle.

“Well, if you think Qrow was cool, how about we teach you the results of trainin’ with him?” I raise my eyebrow, and Nora responds with a complicit grin. Unfortunately, I see Weiss shooting me a glare from the corner of my eye and I know it’s a no go.

“Um, actually, we should focus on our mission first,” Ruby interjects. “Maybe we can test each other out later.”

“I agree on that,” Weiss quickly jumps in, and Ren nods.

“Okay, you guys said Torchwick is an evil bad guy. Not hard to picture him being all scummy, if you want me to be honest, but I find it hard to believe he has been doing some illegal business right under our noses,” Nora crosses her arms.

“That’s why we should investigate to know how he has been handling his black market trade here,” Ruby says. “I think we should split and cover all our bases, we’re 5, or at least until Blake feels better. We all okay with that?”

I nod, alongside the rest of the people in the room, but something catches my eye. I notice a raven outside the house, resting on a windowsill. For a moment, I think it’s Alden, his red eyes piercing through me as he waits, but the feathers on the back of its neck give it away: that’s not Alden, it’s Raven herself.

“Okay, first things first. Weiss, would you like to look over the documents the mayor has offered to us?” My sister addresses her partner.

“Of course, I’m sure I’ll be able to find something among those contracts and taxes,” she agrees.

“I can help you with that,” Ren adds. “I’ve been overseeing most of the trades established with outside suppliers. I know the mayor’s office by memory.”

Weiss nods in response.

“Okay, Yang, you could—”

“I got a response back from a contact, I think we have another lead we should look into,” my eyes are glued to Raven’s bird form as I speak. Then, I shoot a glance at Ruby.

If Raven’s here, it means that things are more serious than I originally thought. _Why would she take the time to come all the way here when the tribe needs her?_

“Oh, cool,” Ruby blinks, “Then Nora and I could look into the two shops Torchwick has in town.”

“Three actually,” Nora clarifies. “One’s a Dust shop, another one is an antique shop, and the last one he opened is a weapon’s shop,” she counts with her fingers.

“I can help you with that when I’m done with my thing,” I reassure them, and Nora gives me a thumbs up. I’m not exactly sure how long it’s going to take. I can only hope that Raven doesn’t feel chatty today.

“Okay, then it’s settled,” my sister announces, proudly standing up, pushing her chair back. “The Kuroyuri investigation begins!”

“Not before we do the dishes,” Ren adds, and Nora groans.

   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, like, I really miss Raven. I can't believe not a single frame of vol 6 features her. The audacity.


	16. Admonishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang and Raven's relationship is complicated, but that’s not enough to describe it.

_I fall flat on my ass_ again _and let a groan escape my lips. Bringing a hand to my face, I furrow my brows and close my eyes, holding the bridge of my nose between my two fingers. It’s a miracle it hasn’t been broken at this point, I swear._

_“Stop doing that,” Raven says while sheathing her sword._

_“Doin’ what? I’m doin’ what you said,” I force my eyes open._

_“No, you aren’t,” she scolds me as he rests her left hand on the hilt of her weapon. “You’re trying to find an opening. I told you to block my attacks.”_

_When she takes a step back, I take it as a sign and stand up. Honestly, I don’t want to continue being her punching bag, and as far as I know, that’s all that she plans to do with me today. Earlier this morning, she told me to grab my gauntlets and follow her outside of the camp. She brought me to a nearby mountain to train, all alone._ What a great family trip.

_I let go of my nose, and throw my arms into the air, “But I have been doin’ that! I know how to fight, this is just a  waste of time!”_

_My eyes go red for a moment, and I know Raven notices it. She shakes her head and steps to the side, “I am well aware that your father has trained you, but the problem is not what he taught you, it’s what you’ve learned.”_

_I frown, “What? Would you mind bein’ straight with me for five minutes? You’re not puttin’ up a show in front of your tribe.”_

_Her brow furrows, and her eyes pierce through me like she has hit me again with the hilt of her weapon. We hold each other’s gazes for what seems like an eternity until Raven realizes she’s not going to get through me with this approach. She clicks her tongue in mild distaste, and turns towards me. Her right hand goes back to the hilt of her odachi._

_“Get on your guard,” she orders._

_I bit the inside of my cheek and do as she says: I activate Ember Celica and bring my fists up, keeping my feet apart and flexing my knees._

_“I’m being as direct with you as I can,” She unsheathes her weapon and attacks me. Her blade comes up, and sparks fly when it hits my left gauntlet._

_“There’s a huge difference between what one might teach you and what you choose to learn.” She moves forward with her next slice and flicks her wrist to bring the odachi down._

_I block it with my right gauntlet, moving back, like we were waltzing._

_“I’m sure Tai taught you a variety of fighting styles for you to by from: karate, taekwando, wing chun, jeet kune do…” as she speaks, she continues gaining ground, and I’m forced to circle around her so I don’t fall off the cliff._

_Her attacks become more frequent, and I have to use the my palms to deviate her sword from time to time. “The mixture of these style helps you to adapt to different types of enemies.”_

_I block her hand with one of my knees before she is able to even swing her sword, and she smirks. “The kickboxing, however, it’s all you.” As she finishes saying that, she charges at me._

_With every flick of her wrist, her sword comes back at me from all directions, and I’m forced to lean down and move my body to the sides. Turning and crouching, maintaining a distance between us, to make sure I can see her moves coming._

_Her left hand tightly holds the rotary sheath with the rest of her odachi’s blades, and I see her tightening her grip. Just as my eyes flicker downwards, she twirls. The back of her high heels hits my foot, and she breaks my center. I fall on my back, right on my ass again._

_“You took what you found useful and added something of your own,” she says. “But the basics of what your father taught you is still there: you must study your opponent to know how to defeat them.”_

_I look up to find her aiming at me with her sword; the blade inches away from my eyes. The sword blurs when I focus on her, and I understand what she’s trying to say. Even without realizing, I ended up finding an opening she purposefully wanted me to see. I sigh, and she draws her weapon back, allowing me to get back on my feet._

_I bring my fists up again._

_She swings her odachi one more time, coming from the same angle she did before, and I block it with my gauntlet. “The key points are there: the forms, the strength, the reflexes. I’m sure you spent a lot of time sparring together, and there was something new to learn every day.”_

_This time, Raven decides to invade my personal space sooner. Her swings grow quicker, shorter, and she aims at my center instead at my sides. I’m unable to slap her wrists away. She isn’t letting me do so._

_“Perhaps he showed you every martial art separately, or maybe he mixed them up since the very beginning.”_

_Attacks come from the right, left, upward, downward. She corners me, but not physically. I’m still moving back in circles to make sure I don’t fall off, but she won’t let me stop her frenzy. She’s purposefully keeping me on my toes. I’m unable to think ahead. Left, right, and she draws her sword back before bringing it towards me again. Her attacks are aimed to tear, and I have to change the orientation of my gauntlets._

_“But it doesn’t matter. What I’m certain, however,” she leans forward, and I open my eyes wide as soon as I realize it. I bring both of my forearms to my front. The back of Ember Celica covers my throat, and sparks fly when Raven’s blade slides on it. “I’m certain Tai didn’t teach you to rely on your Semblance.”_

_Raven’s face is inches away from mine. She pushes her odachi against me. I keep my hands up, applying as much strength as I can back against her weapon to keep it in place._

_With a quick burst of my Semblance, I’d be able to push her back in a second, but I’m not allowed to do so._

_She quirks an eyebrow, and all the pressure on my gauntlets disappear. I move back, but I’m a second too late to block the swing coming from my left side, and she cuts my bicep._

_“Fuck,” I groan, bringing my hand to the cut as a reflex. I apply pressure on the wound; it’s not deep, my aura would be able to heal it in a moment. It stings like fuck, and I have a wide variety of curses at hand to toss around if I wanted to._

_Raven jumps back, but keeps her odachi up, pointing at me, “A person might teach you something, but it’s up for you to learn. There’s an endless amount of information out there, but you’re the one who decides what to take in and how to react.”_

_I shoot a glare at her before looking back at my arm. It stings, and I still wait for the odd sensation of ants running on my skin that confirms my aura is working and healing my cut. That, however, doesn’t happen. Blood runs down my arm, mixing with the dry one belonging to other cuts near it._

_“Right now, you probably think I’m a jerk because I hurt you,” Raven’s voice draws me in, and I look at her. “But the truth is: you’re hurt because you were inclined to let your guard down. You let me in, so you could use your Semblance to push me back, but you’re not allowed to do that.”_

_I clench my teeth, and she smirks._

_“I’m asking you only to block my attacks because I want you to focus on defense rather than your offense,” she explains. “I’m well aware you can find an opening, and you let your guard down because you think you can take a hit—”_

_“But you can’t,” she finishes before I can open my mouth to retort._

_I lick my lips, the blood slips through my fingers slowly dripping to the floor._

_“Each attack that lands on you drains your aura, and relaying so much on your Semblance leaves too many openings for the enemy to exploit,”  She moves her odachi, gesturing me to get back on guard so we can continue. “What happens when you already activate your Semblance and it’s not enough to stop the enemy?”_

_“You still let their attacks go through because you still focus on your offense rather than your defense.”_

_I move my bloodied hand away from my arm and stare at it. The cut has stopped bleeding, but it doesn’t stop hurting. My aura is broken, it has been for the past forty five minutes. That hasn’t stopped her from attacking me with her Dust infused blades._

_“Yang.”_

_I look up to find her staring at me. She looks slightly tired, and her eyes are… gentle. I freeze in my place, feeling every fiber of my body tense as I’m completely lost, like a child found by a Grimm in the middle of the woods. She notices it._

_“Your style relies a lot in observation, and your perspective is your biggest enemy,” she sighs, sheathing her sword._

_“Do you know what makes a spy good?”_

_I frown, not certain of what kind of answers she expects of me. One minute ago, she was talking about the different martial arts I know and mix in order to face an enemy, and how I learned that from dad. Now, she’s getting philosophical and somehow spies are brought into the equation._

_“Many believe that spies simply deceive, creating a whole new different persona when they are assigned a mission, but that’s untrue,” she rests her left hand on the hilt of her sword, and walks around me. “The best spies don’t create a whole new person to interact with the world. They create a different version of themselves, one where they are not spies. They fill in the holes of their lives which lead to their job.”_

_“A great spy tells you the truth, and lie by omission,” she stops. “You trust them because they are genuine, because they are open. You let your guard down because of how you perceive them.”_

_She’s trying to give a lesson on perception, the ability for us to gather information around us through our senses, but also the way we interpret what’s around us. I get it: my fighting style relays on the way I observe my opponent, their movements, their quirks, the way that they speak and act, and I respond based on that. But, if they just lie or try to get a step ahead, like she’s proposing, how can I work around that?_

_“You cannot trust anyone, not even yourself” Raven unsheathes her weapon again, and I automatically bring my fists up once more. “You cannot afford making a mistake, especially when your life's on the line.”_

_“Never let your guard down.”_

 

* * *

 

The mayor comes knocking at Ren and Nora’s front door announcing that he was able to find some documents that might prove useful to us. He is surprised to find all of us there, doing the dishes and helping Ren clean up, but his visit makes the splitting up of the group much easier.

Weiss and Ren quickly follow Bao to his office. The Atlesian doesn’t look too excited about going over the town’s records, but she seems to enjoy Ren’s company. On the other hand, Ruby and Nora, decide to make Torchwick’s Dust shop their first stop and they look pretty excited about that. They wave me goodbye before getting into a lively conversation about sweets.

I place my hands on my hips, and smile at my sister. It’s so nice to see her overcome her shyness and make new friends. We have been really lucky to find such good people on the way. It almost seems like Raven’s grimm version of the world doesn’t exist.

I sigh, remembering that I have a particular date to attend. It doesn’t take me long to spot a black feathered bird nearby. Said avian left the windowsill of Ren and Nora’s home to find a place on top of an ugly lamp post.

However, I’m surprised when I realize the raven staring at me is not Raven herself, it’s Alden. I’m certain I saw Raven less than half an hour ago, that wasn’t my imagination. He cocks his head to the side before taking off. He wants me to follow him, that’s clear, so I do it. I’m confused as to what Raven is planning. The fact that she’s even here caught my attention by itself, but having Alden guide me to her makes me feel all jittery.

Several blocks away from my original position, I find Alden sitting on top of a shady bar’s sign. I pay no attention to the name, mainly because that’s the least of my worries at the moment, and simply walk in. The place is awfully lit, as if keeping the place in mostly in the dark with the exception of some candles can set a mood. It just looks like any crappy bar Shay D. took me and the rest of the gang when we were looking for supplies or information. It doesn’t take long for me too find Raven, she’s on the upper floor by the corner.

A nice waitress comes to offer me a table, but I kindly reject her offer since someone is already waiting for me. With that, I just walk up the stairs and head towards Raven’s table. She sees me as soon as I reach the last step and leans back on her chair to appear more relaxed than she is. She gestures to the empty chair in front of her, and I notice there’s a Strawberry Sunrise with no ice and a little umbrella waiting for me. Em must have told her what my go to drink is.

“Did somethin’ happen?” I ask as I seat on the wooden chair.

“What? Are you not properly going to greet your mother, or ask how the tribe is doing?” she cocks a brow at me.

I sigh, and lean forward, resting my elbows on the table, “If you are here, it means the tribe is doin’ okay, but hello.”

She presses her lips together, “Yes, the tribe is fine. Although, I must say, Emerald is moping around a little more than usual. I think she misses you, but she won’t say it out loud. Sometimes, I feel like that girl wanted to come with you; even if she knows her place is at the tribe.”

I take a sip of my drink. “I don’t think she likes bein’ around Shay D. and some of the guys.”

“If that girl finds something useful for us, she is free to go around and have her own silly adventures,” Raven sighs. “But as of now, she helped locate a Atlesian camp up North. We raided it two days ago. I don’t believe they are planning on invading Vale, but it’s nice to see so much high quality Dust in one place. You should thank your friend, the Schnee, for her family’s hard work,” she smirks.

I bite the inside of my cheek, and stir my drink using the small umbrella, “I don’t think she’d feel personally responsible for that.” I stop, “Or that she’d want to learn about your successful raid.”

She clicks her tongue, and shifts on her seat. She wraps a hand around her own drink —scotch on the rocks—, and observes me in silence. She traces the edge of the class with her finger as she thinks for the right words. Then, her eyes flick up, abandoning her drink to find my own, “Speaking about your friends, I couldn't help but to notice you keep picking up strays.”

I roll my eyes at her awful choice of words, “Did you do a back up check on Blake or somethin’? Because I’m honestly not interested in information on her without her consent on it.”

“You should be interested, but no, I haven’t had the time to investigate her,” she moves her drink to the side. “I find it alarming that you incorporate people to your group this easily. The world is not forgiving, and you shouldn’t forget what I told you.”

_Never let your guard down._

I frown, “Look, if you came here to judge who I decide to work with, then you’re wastin’ your time. Blake’s helpin’ us with a mission, and she has been nothing but a helpful partner.”

“Speaking about that,” the tone of her voice changes and her brows furrow. “I can’t say we have had to deal with Roman in a while, and since I knew he had more than a foot on the black market, it didn’t surprise me to find out he has been stealing most of the merchandise he sells.”

“But…”

“I know that whatever you want to get yourself involved with is bigger than you think,” she leans forward. “This isn’t just him trying to raze out the competition. Crime doesn’t care about the broken relationships of nations after The War. He has a network spanning over the four kingdoms.”

“What? Do you think I can’t handle it?,” I lean back and take a sip of my drink.

She squints her eyes at me, unhappy at my response and leans back. “Of course you can handle it. You’re my daughter after all,” she sighs. “But whatever it is that you and your friends are doing, it will inevitably crush the very fruitful model that has worked for so long. There’s no need to fix what’s not broken.”

“A model where innocents get robbed, hurt and killed is not acceptable,” I jab back.

She snorts, “Oh, please. What are huntsmen but glorified mercenaries?”

“Huntsmen inspire people. We help others, we save lives.”

“I thought you weren’t this naive.” she frowns and gestures to me with her drink. “Huntsmen are nothing but carrier pigeons and overpriced pest control. If you believe huntsmen are heroes like Qrow does, then have it your way. The only thing that heroes do is die.”

Her words are like venom, but she looks so smug, like she has figured everything out on her own. There’s a hint of pain somewhere at that realization. She looks at me as if I was a fool, unable to see the simple truth of her claim. Her stare is cocky. It infuriates me.

“If this is your way of tryin’ to make me change my mind, you can give up,” I frown. “I’m not goin’ back to the tribe and become your successor.”

Raven shakes her head and looks away, leaving her glass on the table. Once again, she leans back against her chair, defeated. We’ve had this conversation before, and a couple of months aren’t going to make me go back on my word.

“Is that everythin’ you wanted to tell me?” I ask.

Raven’s eyes shoot back at me, and she thinks for a moment. It doesn’t last long. She pushes her chair away from the table and stands up, leaving it behind. With a swift motion, she grabs the hilt of her weapon, locks a Dust infused blade, and opens up a deep red portal leading back to the tribe. She sheathes her odachi shortly after, but her hand remains on the hilt.

“I have a feeling this will lead you to Vale,” she says with her back turned to me. “Here’s a word of advice: beware of those who speak of legends.”

I’m not sure what she means by that, and she doesn’t bother to clarify. She shoots me a glance before she goes into the portal, leaving her half finished drink on the table. The red energy fades, and I sigh, feeling my body relax.

All the tension I felt disappears, and I finish my drink. When I leave my glass down, I hear the click of a gun’s safety lock right behind me.

I turn, unamused, and find the waitress pointing a gun at me, shaking.

“It’s okay, I’m a huntress, and a friend of Ren and Nora,” I smile, raising my hands. She doesn’t know my weapons are on my wrists, but to her, I’m clean. “She didn’t pay for the drinks, did she?”

The waitress later accepts my apology, and puts her gun down. It turns out that Raven had indeed payed for her scorch and my strawberry sunrise. That’s a first for her, and it leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

As I leave the bar, I scratch the back of my head, trying to put together what I’ve just heard. I still believe that coming here just to tell me not to mess with a crime organization is not good of an excuse for her. Maybe she was just trying to use this opportunity to try and persuade me to go back to the tribe. It’s troublesome to say the least.

I exit the bar, and a couple of steps later, Alden gets on my shoulder. He doesn’t twitch, or flap his wings. He stays silently, and I’m thankful that he gives me some time to myself to think as I walk. Raven’s words echo in my mind, and I can’t do anything else but think on the way she referred to Blake: a stray. My blood boils, because for a moment I believe she did so because my partner is a faunus, but that can’t be it. Raven doesn’t know Blake is a faunus. She was probably using that term while only thinking about Weiss, a deserter.

I groan, maybe I shouldn’t think about it too hard.

_It’s just dificult not to read in between the lines when it’s about Raven._

I shake my head and stop looking at the street I’m walking on. My thoughts remain on Blake, though. I’m not sure how she’s doing, and I can’t help to feel bad about it. As I try to figure out a way not to feel so useless before joining my sister and Nora with their task, I stop in front of a bakery. Among the cakes, cupcakes and lollipops on display, there are several chocolate bars that catch my eye.

Maybe there is something I can do.

I buy a dark chocolate bar and stuff it in my pocket. The owner doesn’t even care about Alden. I’m in an out the shop faster than I thought, and just as I head back to the inn I start hesitating. I’m not sure if Blake likes dark chocolate, I just bought it out of impulse. Whenever I had to deal with my cramps, dad always got me some. Still, I’m not a hundred percent sure that’s a universal  remedy or just me. Summer never dealt with cramps that I can remember, and I wasn’t there when Ruby got her period.

Regardless of my doubts, I make it back to our room. Alden flies away from my shoulder as soon as I enter the building, he hates being inside buildings. I grab the keys from my pocket. I fiddle with it once I’m in front of the right door, and I hear someone stumbling inside the bedroom

I furrow my brows, and open the door slightly worried. I’m about to call my partner’s name when I see the a blur of black hair and the bathroom door closing a few inches away from me.

“Blake?” I call her softly, entering our room. “Is everythin’ okay?”

I lean closer to the bathroom door, a knot forms in my throat as I hear her struggle to find the words for a moment until she replies, “Yeah, I just— Don’t worry about it.”

“Okay, I’m here if you need anythin’,” I don’t really want to push her, she’s probably having a hard time for me to be all over her. It’s just her period, I shouldn’t make a big fuss about it.

I place the keys back inside my pocket and I walk to the end of the room. There’s a soft breeze of fresh air stroking the curtains, but I only truly notice it when it hits my face. I find it odd to find the window halfway open. I don’t remember leaving it like that. I’m closing it when I realize that maybe Blake was hot and needed some fresh air, so I leave it a little bit open.

Seeing her in such a hurry leads me to believe that she’s having one of those difficult months. Only at this moment I think I’m lucky to be have an irregular cycle.

Without giving a second thought, my hand brushes the covers of her bed. They’re almost neatly folded in place, like even in if she was middle of a rush, she took the time to leave it organized. That looks too much like a Weiss thing, but I somehow find myself folding it correctly. I move the covers an inch up and realize that her bed is cold. My eyes drift to the bathroom, and my worries grow. If she has gone back and forth leaving her bed to the bathroom more than once, she must be having an awful time.

The bathroom door opens slowly, and I Blake appears from behind it. I notice her fingers still linger on the wood, but I’m quickly captured by her deep amber eyes staring right at me, “Is everything okay?”

I chuckle, “Look who’s askin’.”

She smiles, a part of her face hidden behind the door. Even when in pain she looks absolutely beautiful, and the way she just peeks from behind the wood makes her look shy, or mysterious actually. There’s something she does about her makeup that always makes it look like she knows what’s up. The purple shade of her eyeshadow brings out the color in her eyes, and her eyeliner game is on point.

“We decided to split up to cover more ground. Weiss and Ren are with the mayor, I was goin’ to check on you, and then join Rubes and Nora,” I reply.

“Well, I’d love to join you, but I don’t think I will be able to keep up with you guys,” Blake closes the bathroom door, averting her gaze from me. Then, walks towards me, or ther bed, actually. She’s a little pale, but she still looks gorgeous.

“Yeah, well, I got you a little somethin’ that might make you feel better,” I add, and offer her the chocolate bar. She blinks at my hand, and stares at the candy in my hand for a moment.

Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink and she looks back up to me. Slowly, she takes the bar out of my hand, and our fingers brush against each other, “T—Thanks, you didn’t have to.” Carefully, brings the chocolate closer to herself.

“Oh, I just thought it’d help you,” I shrug and offer her smile. I decide to give her some space so she can get back on bed, and she does. She seats by the edge while keeping her beautiful honey eyes on me. “I don’t know which is your favorite, so I hope you like it.”

“It’s perfect,” she chuckles, hiding her smile behind one of her hands “This is very nice of you. I feel awful that I can’t be of more use.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” I roll my eyes and notice Alden carefully watching us from outside, standing one tree branch. “Maybe it feels a little more lonely without you, but lunch was nice, and Nora’s really fun to hang around.”

She quirks a brow, “I could tell by the small banter that you two would hit it off. She seems right up your alley.”

I shoot her a playful smile, “Oh, you don’t need to get all jealous. Weiss is the one you should be worried about.”

She laughs at my joke, and we both fall into a comfortable silence for a bit, just smiling at each other. Then, I decide that maybe I’m getting sidetracked. “Yeah, Ren’s very nice, and Nora’s fun. I’m sure we can handle whatever’s thrown at us. Hopefully, someone has found somethin’ useful.”

She chuckles, it’s intoxicating, “A part of me wishes you don’t, so I have a chance to be of help tomorrow, but that’s just selfish on my part.”

“Hey, I get it,” I laugh. Blake shakes her head, and she spots Alden. Her eyes linger on him for a moment, like she’s thinking about something. “Well, I guess I’ll see you later. Gotta intimidate some workers and look under desks,” I wink.

Blake smiles, then winces. Her hands go back to her navel. We both silently agree I should give her some space; she leans back against the pillow, and I leave the room. After locking the door, I wave the innkeeper goodbye and wait for Alden to catch up on me. I hold up an arm for him to land, and he sits on my wrist.

“Hey, buddy. Can you look around for a helipad? And maybe keep an eye on Blake?” I ask him and, of course, I get no response. “I’m worried about her, and I can’t stay. Just look for me if she starts feeling worse. Got it?”

Alden squints at me, then caws and leaves towards the back of the inn. He’s acting a little bit weird, but at least he’s giving me a hand… or a wing, I guess. Hopefully, Blake isn’t having as much as a hard time as I think she’s having and I’m exaggerating. Whatever it is, I just sigh and walk to Torchwick’s Dust shop. There I can as were my sister and the bubbly redhead went.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, got more things planned out and written down. You might have noticed the number of total chapters not being ? anymore.


	17. Party Crashers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang ambushes the baddies, some fan favorite faces show up ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might notice some discrepancies with canon.  
> This fic was thought out before vol 5, so that might be it.

The last time I enjoyed an evening this cozy was before Ruby and I decided to take on small missions for the first time. Even after going back home from Raven’s training, the house felt empty without Ruby and Zwei around. Now, while I’m sitting at Nora and Ren’s couch staring at the former play with my corgi reminds me of those old days. Maybe this isn’t my home, but there’s something relaxing and welcoming about their place that makes me feel back in Patch.

Zwei rolls around, exposing his stomach for Nora to tickle and stroke as she pleases, and she does so. She grins at the dog as she makes sure to give him all the bellyrubs he has been craving. One would think that Weiss would be jealous of not being the one properly pampering the corgi with affection, but she’s too busy staring at Kuroyuri’s map to focus on her beloved canine BFF (as referred to by herself).

“If the pilot had specific coordinates to Kuroyuri, I find it hard to believe there isn’t a proper helipad for him to have landed on,” Weiss bites one of her nails, her other arm crossed over her chest. She wasn’t pleased when I told her Alden had failed to locate the landing platform, and despite her best efforts with Ren at the administrative office, they didn’t find any trace of a helipad authorized by the mayor. The town’s roads are barely fit for cars, why would they contemplate helicopters?

She clenches her fist in disappointment when she realizes she’s biting her nail.

“There are a couple of clearings close by in a ten mile radius. If Torchwick wanted to keep the landing pad hidden, he could’ve used some foliage to hide it,” Ren contemplates. He eyes Nora as she continues to mess around with Zwei, challenging the corgi to bite her fingers.

“That seems like a proper way to keep an undercover operation,” Blake concludes. “Alden wouldn’t be able to spot it, meaning that we have to do the scouting ourselves.”

Weiss, Ren and Blake exchange glances.

“Uh, what if Torchwick had another way to get here?”

The three of them look at my sister, and Zwei barks at Nora, who giggles as she takes his paw. They ignore the redhead, waiting for my sister to explain herself.

“Well, Weiss took the pilot out, and I’m not saying that Torchwick doesn’t have more pilots, but what if that was only one he had at the time,” Ruby shrugs. “He could’ve given up the idea on using his helicopter and found another way to get here.”

Weiss clicks her tongue, “We did see him leave on a Jeep… He must have more than one means of transportation.”

“Yes, but the quickest way to come here would be by helicopter,” Blake insists.

“It’s still less than a whole day for him to make it here,” Weiss shakes her head and stares the map Ren laid over the dinner table. “It’d still be a viable way to get here.”

I look over at Alden. Ren left a window open for the raven to at least sit by the windowsill. Alden still doesn’t like closed places, but seemed to appreciate the huntsman’s good attitude, so he came closer to us, keeping an eye on everyone. Now, he’s staring at me, like a grumpy old man.

“Why do you guys keep focusin’ on how he got here?” I say as my eyes leave the raven’s figure. I turn back to face at the four people standing around the dinner table. “We know Torchwick is here to meet with someone from Mistral, he can’t just change the dates of a meetin’ ‘cause he lost a pilot… and a storage full of stolen goods to three girls and a dog.”

Weiss sighs, “It’s not that. Ren and I thought it’d be convenient for him to have the helipad near whatever place he’s using to transport all the goods. Finding the landing spot would give us a radius to investigate more closely.”

Zwei barks at Nora, and she smiles.

“Yeah, after all, we know that he’s not using his shops for a cover up for his dirty business,” Ruby shrugs.

She’s right. After going through the three establishments he owns with Rubes and Nora, we found nothing that would incriminate him, except for two weapons Ruby said were too old not to have been part of an antiques’ exhibition. She also noted that they were handcrafted, and would make no sense for a basic store like Torchwick’s to sell them.

“There are no incriminating records, no tax evasion or any sort of lead that would tell us where he operates. At least last time we knew he was using an abandoned storage. Here, there’s no available place in town for him to carry out his plans,” Weiss brows furrow.

“The man is very careful about his deals, or his underground network is actually underground,” Blake crosses her arms.

“Sadly, there’s no such thing as underground tunnels here,” Ren shakes his head. “We barely finished rebuilding after the Nuckelavee attack years ago, and the mayor has no plans to build an underground system.”

Nora gasps, picking up Zwei in her arms. The corgi yelps, surprised, and everyone turns to look at her, including Alden.

“Nora?” Weiss shoots her a bewildered look.

“The Nuckelavee cave,” she states and all of us, except for Ren, raise a brow at her, even more confused than before. She grins, “See, I told you he couldn’t have hidden a crime organization right under our noses! He’s not doing all this illegal stuff _in_ Kuroyuri, he’s doing it outside!”

“You’re not making any sense,” Weiss points out.

Nora groans, and hands Zwei to me. She almost teleports itself over to where Weiss is and points at a location on the map. “Here, that’s where he might be.”

“What’s there?” my sister asks.

I walk over to the dinner table, carrying Zwei along the way. Alden flies over to my shoulder as find a place between Ruby and Blake. Blake scoots away as her eyes settle on Zwei. She almost looks disappointed at me for bringing the corgi over. _Okay, I’m not sure if she doesn’t like it because of bad experiences, or because she’s a cat faunus._

_And I’m afraid my second conclusion may be racist._

“I told you! The Nuckelavee cave.”

“I thought you said Qrow had killed that thing,” I say.

“He did, but even before it had attacked our town, the residents knew where the Grimm was hidden,” Ren explained. Nora nods, happy for Ren to have jumped into the conversation. “The Nuckelavee had been present in this forest for many centuries. The original settlers thought the forest was cursed by a demon. But because the land was rich in minerals, many old tribes and armies tried to hunt it down. Unfortunately, it survived. The cave that Nora is pointing out was his location.”

“Why would some smugglers choose an old Grimm hideout for their _own_ hideout?” Weiss protested.

“Well, duh, everyone in town is scared of that place,” Nora nodded proudly. “Only Ren and I would dare to even go there. Port took us once with Jaune to learn from the enemy, and to be honest, there were just piles of bones, old armors and weak weapons rusting.”

“And all of those things provided us with valuable information regarding past generations,” Ren nodded.

“Torchwick picked the perfect place to move his goods without attractin’ any unwanted attention and getting’ under you two’s radar,” I smile at the redhead. “Nora, you’re a genius.”

She chuckles, and makes a small cutesy, grabbing the ends of her skirts. “Well, thank you. I just can’t let the bad guys get away with crime under my watch.”

Ren laughs and looks at her with the kindest eyes. I’m a little bit jealous of how much love he has for her, I wish I had something that special.

“I’m assuming you also know of a place where a helicopter could land near by, otherwise the possibilities of an old Grimm cave being their secret hideout will be reduced,” Blake comments, clearly still focused on finding the helipad.

I’m sad to say that I disagree completely with her point. Looking for a landing spot for a helicopter will only make us lose valuable time. If this is their hiding spot, we don’t need to bother with extra scouting.

“Not really, but it’s the best strategic place for them to set up a base and not be bothered by the locals,” Nora shrugs. “If I was a bad guy, I’d certainly use it.”

“Well, I guess that settles it,” Ruby announces while ignoring Blake’s clear disagreement with that theory. “We’re going to strike their hideout.”

 

* * *

 

Nora remains as further away as possible from Weiss’s summoning, and I don’t blame her. She tried to pet it like she did Zwei, but unlike the lovable corgi, the Creep tried to bite her hand off. Weiss said she can’t control everything her summonings do, so Nora decided not test her luck again and left the Grimm alone.

I, on the other hand, smile as the creature stands next to me, staring from some bushes to grant Weiss a better vision of the enemy.

I’m thankful that mostly no one knows about the Schnee’s inherited Semblance. There are rumors about their powers, but luckily for Weiss, her family wasn’t at the Vytal massacre for soldiers of other nations to confirm their abilities. While most people don’t even question a Semblance like Weiss’s, Raven was quick to figure it out, and so probably did Qrow, and maybe dad.

_If only I had that sort of magical bond with Alden…_

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Raven and Qrow’s ability to turn into birds is more of a hereditary thing like Weiss’s glyphs. She only trains ravens as some sort of decoys; Alden is just a cover. Even if she had some sort of connection with him, I don’t think I’d have inherited it. If there wasn’t for my eyes and some of my facial similarities to my birth mother, there’d be no trace of the Branwen blood running through my veins.

Still, I find Alden monitoring the area, and part of me wishes he served as a distraction for Ren and Blake upstairs. I know they can both fight, but even if Nora and Ren were able to keep Kuroyuri safe during all those years, I’m still too many feet away from them. There’s just an endless ramp these lackeys built all the way up the mountain. It will take time for me to get up there to help them.

It’s not worry what I feel, it’s more of a rush of excitement. I really like fighting alongside Blake is fine, I’ve seen her fight, _God, I’ve seen her fight._

I’m definitely asking her out when this is all over. Who’d know I’d get into the dating game _this_ soon after leavings Raven’s camp. It’s not like I never thought about dating, it’s just that I didn’t want to get involved with someone at the camp. After dealing with some occasional hook ups, I thought I was going to continue on that road, but…

I want more than just a one night stand with her. I want to get to know her, to keep cracking jokes and hea her laugh. I’m getting sappy, I know, but there’s something intriguing about her, and I’m addicted to adventure.

“I’m taking the guy talking with the driver and the driver,” Nora says. “How about you? The buff guy over there seems like your type.”

I smirk, eyeing the man she’s referring to. He’s at least 6”5’ and the suit he’s wearing barely fits him, “Nah, he has clearly skipped leg day for far too long, I could take him out in a pinch. Besides, why do you think you know my type?”

The muscular man carries another box of stolen goods to one of the six trucks parked around the ramp. There are twelve people working nonstop. They clearly seem to be emptying the cave, which leads me to believe we got here on time. Then I notice the multiple truck tracks on the road, and I think that maybe we got here little late. We could’ve missed some trucks, but we’re not letting these ones go. Ruby has taken notice of their movements though the scope of her sniper ever since we got here. She designed a plan based on the little time we have left.

Making sure Torchwick can’t use any vehicle as a means of escape is the first phase of it. Unfortunately, Ruby couldn’t get a clear view of the cave, meaning that the man of the hour might not be present as we hoped. Phase two involves Nora, Weiss’s summon and I taking out the guys loading the stuff in somewhat of a hurry.  Ren and Blake, on the other hand, have to entertain the two people in charge before we all meet back at the cave to take whoever's in charge out.

Nora snickered, keeping as quiet as possible, “I know that you like petite white haired girls with a cranky attitude.”

The first wheel of one of the six trucks is hit by a bullet, but no one notices it, except for Nora and I. The tire begins to deflate slowly: this marks the beginning of Ruby’s signal.

“Weiss is pretty, but I got my eyes on someone else,” I exchange glances with Nora before we both turn back to our enemies. There’s a glint of mischief in her eyes, and we both know I’m talking about Blake. We are also perfectly aware that Weiss is listening to us while we hide in the bushes thanks to her summon.

“Your boyfriend is hot, tho.”

A second shot, another tire down.

“I know,” she breathes. “He likes playing hard to get, but when he’s ready, he sweeps you off your feet like you don’t even know what happened.”

The third and fourth shot come right after the other. A truck is down.

“And you don’t mind to share?” I cock a brow at her, fully aware of the glances she and her boyfriend exchanged while looking at me.

The next truck is taken out just as easily.

Nora clicks her tongue, “It doesn’t really feel like sharing. We don’t get jealous when we are flirting with other people, and it makes us happy to see each other happy, specially if we both find the same person attractive.” She winks at me.

Another two shots.

“Aw, you make polyamory sound ideal,. Also, I’m flattered.”

She snickers quietly, “You were expecting me to make an innuendo, didn’t ya?”

The third’s truck’s tires are out.

“f you want innuendo I'll give you my endo…” Just as I’m speaking, the white Creep at my side headbutts me. I’m almost knocked down, “God, Weiss!”

Nora covers her mouth as she laughs. The Creep backs away, shaking its head. Now I’m having a hard time believing that Weiss can’t control her Grimm like she said. I stick my tongue out to the creature expecting some sort of reaction; I just get a grunt.

I turn my attention back to the enemy, and just as I do, I notice that only one truck is almost ready to go. Ruby is doing a good job. When she snipes, she never misses.

Alongside Nora, we count the shots as a new tire deflates like it’s the final countdown.

_Four._

_Three._

_Two._

_One._

Just as Ruby’s last bullet goes through the rubber, we jump out of our hiding spot ready to attack. To Nora’s pleasure, I go against my original statement and take out the buff dude in the tight suit. I just evade his right hook by moving to the side and do a double leg sweep. I knock the man out and punch him right in the face to take him out. Big arms, but zero resistance. I smirk.

A couple of people get into one of the trucks and try to leave, but they are unable to since all the tires are deflated. The vehicle doesn’t get far before they decide to scrap their plan and return to face us.

Weiss’s Creep jumps on two women and bites a third one right in the arm. The lackey screams and I take the opportunity to take out her two buddies as they try to get on their feet. Left hook, right uppercut, both are out. The sound of a trigger behind me grabs my attention, and I bring my left hand up. A bullet bounces off my gauntlet. I turn to look at the offender.

The man clenches his teeth and begins firing at me. I bring my arms up, like a superhero in one of Ruby’s comics, and use Ember Celica to block the enemy fire as I dash towards him. The man screams like a scared cat when I’m an inch away from him. He steps back, and I open my arms, letting him look at the prettiest face he’ll see before he’s out. I headbutt him right in the forehead, and stomp my feet as I gain ground. With a swift move, I twirl and throw a punch right at his torso. The lackey is sent out flying, and his weapon falls to the ground behind me.

I smirk, like the cocky winner I am, and look at Nora. She’s making the bad guys dance with the way she twirls, hopps and swings her hammer. It’s almost childish, but it looks fun as fuck. I dash to her side, wanting some of that adrenaline. I use my gauntlets to deflect some of the bullets aimed at her, and pick up the slack of Weiss’s Creep’s when it disappears.

Weiss and Ruby are on the move, and the former cannot keep her summon up.

Nora hits a man towards me, and I simply lay my fist right in the way for his face to hit it. After taking a couple more guys, we both hear a scream coming from the cave. We both look up, ignoring our opponents and see the figure of a man being ejected from the cave.

“Ren!” Nora cries out

Her boyfriend is falling. He groans, and turns around mid air to find a proper landing place. The way he uses the blades on his weapon to hold into a tree and land looks natural. He drags the blades on the trunks before his feet finally hit the ground.

“Nora!” Just as I see her trying to approach her boyfriend, I get her attention. “Get me up there!”

With an exchange of glances, she makes her decision. She knits her brows and nods, preparing her hammer. I shoot a guy coming at me and run backguards, keeping my eyes on Nora. Ren covers Nora’s back as I run towards his girlfriend. I jump, and she groans.

“One XL coming right up!” Nora announces as she swings her hammer around with all her strength. It’s not until my feet land on the face of her hammer that she fires, and I’m sent towards the sky like a ball thrown out of the park.

“Go get them!”

I feel a rush of adrenaline go through my veins. I’m flying through the air with a huge grin on my face. When I finally reach the level of the cave, I shot my gauntlets behind me, pushing me into the enemy’s hideout.

_It’s time to get this party started._

I roll on the ground to soften my landing. When I get back on my feet, I block several gunshots coming from  a goon. I squint at him, a clear warning to the dude, but I don’t rush at him like I’d have wanted to. Blake jumps behind me, and shoots her gun at a girl with long red hair tied in a ponytail. I follow her target with my eyes and notice a very distinctive mask on the enemy’s face: she’s a member of the White Fang.

Blake must feel uneasy.

I continue using Ember Celica to cover Blake’s back, scanning my surroundings as I try to take everything in. There are two other members of the White Fang inside, but unlike the first one, their faunus traits are clearly visible: a wolf tail and a pair of antlers.

Blake moves back, and let her have some space. She blocks a swing of a parasol belonging to a girl with long bi colored hair. I see Weiss, engaging a woman with tanned skin and short brown hair. The woman’s dual weapons strike fiercely against the Atlesian’s rapier.

Ruby comes down in a burst of petals and aims directly at the White Fang girl, taking her on a one on one duel. I’m glad that Blake can focus on one opponent at a time, but I’m unsure if she can handle hand to hand combat like she should.

The red haired girl’s weapon works as a sword and a whip. She quickly grabs Crescent Rose and tries to create an opening for herself. Ruby pushes against her.

I can’t waste anymore time taking information in. Raven was right, this is bigger than we thought if a terrorist organization is involved, and not only that: my three teammates clearly need help.

Weiss can barely keep up against the short haired woman, she’s forced to use her glyphs to escape from her opponents reach, but she’s barely fast enough; Blake is handling the parasol girl, but she is unable to land a single hit. Although I want to rush and help Ruby, I decide to get rid of the less threatening enemies.

I run towards a White Fang member, the one with the antlers who’s shooting at my sister. As I get all up in his face, I lock eyes with the Torchwick goon who’s also firing at Ruby. He changes his target, and watches as I hit the deer faunus. The White Fang member’s gun falls from his hands; I decide to hit and shoot through it, breaking it. My hit lands straight in the deer faunus’ stomach. I knock him back and out.

To deal with the other dude, I grab the remains of the machine gun with my free hand, and spin on my heels. The goon desperately shoots at me, and I let my aura take it. With a swift motion, I throw the gun at the man’s face. Just with that, he’s gone

I scan the room with my eyes, and find the other three lackeys coming my way, thinking they can take me out. I smile.

The first one, with the electric gloves, throws a punch at me, and I duck. I take her arm and spin her around, hitting the second person. The two of them fall, and I have to jump back as the third one tries to kick me. The man throws continuous kicks at me, and it doesn’t take me long to find an opening. I duck and sweep him off his feet. When he falls to the ground, I see the other two getting on their feet. I jump, spin on the air, and land on the third goon’s stomach. He loses his air, and I fire both of my gauntlets at his friends, knocking both of them again.

“Yang!” Blake calls for me, and my eyes quickly look for her.

She’s barely able to evade the parasol girl’s movements by using her Semblance. Her eyes dart to Weiss, and she’s leaving an opening while she jumps around. Blake’s not even trying to hit the girl at this point, her message is clear: she wants me to take her place.

I rush in, and Blake backs out, leaving a shadow behind. Without giving it a second thought, I begin throwing punches at my new enemy: the girl with pink and brown hair with mismatched eyes. She turns, side to side, ever so slightly, avoiding every hit. She keeps a hand on her hip, mocks me with a smile as she continues to evade every punch. I throw in some kicks, and she adds some ducking to the mix. I can’t believe she’s this quick, it’s like she sees right through me.

Weiss falls and stares at her opponent, completely at her mercy. I catch the short haired lady bringing both of her weapons down, the blades aimed directly at the Altesians throat. A loud noise rings through the cave: the sound of Gambol Shroud’s blade and sheath stoppin the blades right in place. Blake just saved Weiss from a fatal hit that would’ve probably done more than just break her aura.

_And she though Blake couldn’t be trusted._

My attention is drawn right back from the other fight as I feel the parasol girl climbing onto me. She grabs my arm, pulls me forwards and closes her thighs around my neck. I desperately try grabbing her legs in an attempt to get free of her grip. With a swift motion, she knocks me down, and I’m thrown away. Luckily for me, I manage to roll on the ground, and stop before my back hits something.

_Fuck, I never thought I’d find myself worried with my head between a girl’s thighs._

She grins and rolls the stick of her parasol between her fingers, taunting me. I frown, and charge against her again. Her left eye, once pink, goes back to brown. I take note of the sudden change of eye color, but I don’t let that stop me. I throw punches, hooks, and fire my gauntlets as I gain ground. This time she twirls, pirouettes around like she was doing with Blake.

It pisses me off. I do a half kick, then a full one. She uses her parasol to block both.

Her eyes switch colors again.

When I throw a punch, she hits the inside of my wrist with her hand with her parasol. Every time I fire, I miss by a longshot. I want to slam my fist down her head but she grabs my neck with the handle of her parasol and drags me down. She hooks one of my feet with hers, and breaks my stance.

With a swift motion, she hits me away with her parasol and I completely lose my ground. I try to get back at her with a right hook, even if I have not regained my ground. Her eyes color switches, again. Pink eye matching her pink hair on the right side. She opens her parasol, and I miss the shot, _again_.

When I throw a left hook, she moves her umbrella to the other side. She deviates my shot, and quickly closes her parasol. She twirls, and her pink eye goes brown. She’s got me.

Without any sort of hesitation, she slams her umbrella against my face, and I’m thrown away.

“Yang!” I hear Blake call my name.

My back hits a big crate, and the wood cracks behind my back. I’m furious. I can already feel my blood boiling, my body aching for me to activate my Semblance. I don’t listen. Not only because activating it won’t help me in this fight, but also because this girl hasn’t hurt me enough to justify the exchange for power. I stand back up, and clean my face with the back of my hand, “I’m fine.”

The girl’s eyes change colors again. Her pink eye is on her right, the brown on the left. She cocks a brow, baiting me. If there was a time to remember one of Raven’s lessons, it’s now.

_“You cannot trust anyone, not even yourself. You cannot afford making a mistake, especially when your life's on the line.”_

I retract my gauntlets.

This surprises the girl. She parts her lips, twirling her umbrella between her hands. I take a deep breath and jump at her.

I go back to the original routine: I throw kicks, mix them with some low range hits. Now that I don’t have to worry about firing, my speed has increased, and I pay more attention to where I’m focusing on my strength. She blocks my fists with her parasol, once with her boot even.

Like I expect her to, she never fights back, which doesn’t allow my Semblance to be fueled. She’s quick, swift, and that stupid smirk won’t leave her face. It’s only when her eyes switch colors that I know it’s time.

Tired of the monotony, she grabs one of my arms and pulls me towards her. She brings her elbow out, it digs into me, right on the center of my collarbone, but she doesn’t apply much pressure. Instead, she extends her arm to hit my ear with the back of her umbrella. To her surprise, I duck. I do a leg sweep, and she jumps back. She frowns, and her eyes change colors again.

_I’ve figured you out._

When I go back at her, she starts turning her body side to side, like she did before. While she evades my hits, I can see some annoyance creeping in. She twirls around me to get behind my back. When she throws a kick at my feet with the intent to break my stance, I jump. I take her by surprise again and fire down at her. Her brows furrow, and the girl does a cartwheel. She backjumps twice, to gain some distance from me.

_I got you so figured out._

It’s my turn to shot her a smirk, and she glares at me. There’s a sadistic smile on her face, and I can’t help but to feel a shiver go down my spine.

“Neo, let’s go!”

The parasol girl turns to one of her friends.

The one with the short hair backs away from Blake and Weiss. I turn to look my opponent again, she smiles at me, defiant, and runs towards her teammate. Once they are standing together, I see the red haired White Fang member leaving my sister and hurrying towards them.

I get a sudden chill, and I get the feeling someone’s going to use a Semblance. Neo places her parasol over her shoulder, and she shots me a sly look.

I activate my gauntlets as my teammates call for me. I jump at the enemy, firing a shot at Neo with my left.

She smiles before my bullet shatters her into a million pieces, like glass. When I throw my right punch, it’s too late. The enemy is gone, and my fist finds nothing but air. Small fragments of shiny dust float around me, and I’m at a loss.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, before Neo showed up in volume 6, I watched and re watched her fight with Yang at least a dozen times.  
> I read a comment that pointed at the way Neo's colors changed whether she attacked or not. Even if that theory may be wrong, I felt it was a cool thing to incorporate in this AU.


	18. Hypocrites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weiss does a bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thanks to @narcosleepy for being my beta reader for this chapter.  
> You can check their Tumblr: narcosleepy.tumblr.com

**** I want to scream at Yang at the top of my lungs when I see her go at the enemy, but no words come out of my mouth as she fires her weapon. Our adversaries shatter right before my eyes, and I just stare blankly at Yang, hoping for some sort of answer where there isn’t any.

Whatever just happened makes no sense.

I clench my teeth and look around, desperately wanting to spot any of the three women that have just vanished. I’m certain we can defeat them if we coordinate our attacks better. After all, with Blake’s help we were able to corner the woman with the dual bladed guns. If we had teamed up sooner, I could’ve defeated the woman and aided Ruby with her opponent.

I knew she was having trouble, but I couldn't even handle my own adversary. She could have gotten gravely injured, and I would have been standing there being a complete useless buffoon. 

_ My years in the army should have taught me better. _

“Where did they go?” I ask, fearing that the girl with the umbrella is just using her Semblance to throw us off.

“There’s no trace of their aura,” Ruby comments, and she folds her weapon.

“Alden,” Yang calls out her avian companion as she retracts her gauntlets. “Keep an eye for the enemy until the coast is clear.”

The raven caws and leaves his spot at the top of the cave.

I don’t follow the bird for long. My eyes fall on Blake, who’s next to me. She sheathes her weapon and nods at me. I nod back, a silent sign of gratitude for her help back then. I’ve let my guard down, thinking I could rely on my Semblance when my enemy wasn’t going to give me nearly enough time to summon. It was foolish of me to even think about even trying it.

Thankfully, Blake was there to protect me. It feels odd, to say the least. I feel awful for mistrusting her before.

“If they escaped, then this is the second time their plans have gone astray,” Blake comments. “I doubt we’ll have the element of surprise next time.”

She isn’t wrong. If we do choose to follow the next coordinates marked on the pilot’s list, I’m sure Torchwick will either be gone or expecting us. Which actually reminds me: he wasn’t even here. I frown, and turn on my heels, inspecting my surroundings.

“Well, the people here seemed to be on their toes. Torchwick has probably alerted his goons already,” Yang says. “That girl… Neo, she must be the one he was talkin’ about before. Like his assistant or somethin’?”

She’s right. Torchwick had already mentioned his plan on sending someone named Neopolitan to deal with whoever came here from Mistral. The obvious Maitrali contact was the woman who I faced.

I bite the inside of my cheek, my hands trace the length of one of the crates the criminals left on the cave. Surprisingly, I find markings similar to the ones at the small town we first found Torchwick. These are Valen seals, the exact ones that are used by customs for any water or land shipments.

“Um… She looked more dangerous than just an assistant,” Ruby adds.

“Trust me, she’s an experienced fighter. Maybe one of the best I’ve encountered in a long time,” Yang groans as she rubs her back.

“Who were the other two?” Ruby asks, assessing the situation.

“The woman who almost slit my neck was the Mistral contact,” I answer. Whoever she was, I know for a fact that the pants she was wearing was part of the Mistral Army uniform. The dark brown trousers, the half brown chaps, and the dark belt with golden ends was easy to recognize. The only thing she was missing was the kingdom’s insignia.  “The other one was obviously a member of the White Fang, if the mask wasn’t evidence enough.”

I see Blake about to say something, but she’s cut short by a gunshot. Yang and Ruby, who apparently were tying the wrists of the fallen criminals, look up. I follow their gazes, and find myself staring at an unbelievable scene.

“You guys! I really can’t believe someone like Torchwick was behind all of this!” Nora exclaims, looking as nonchalant and excited as only she can.

She’s standing casualy on her hammer. Her weapon is upside down, her feet on its head while she holds on to the handle with her left hand. Her right is placed on her hip, and her boyfriend holds onto the handle next to her. “I mean, guys, all of those trucks are his. We’ve seen them time and time again.”

They both land near Blake, and Nora folds her weapon. She clips it on her belt.

“I’m ashamed to say we never thought about looking this way,” Ren taps his chin. “To know that we had provided a safe hideout to the black market right here is… disheartening to say the least.” He sighs.

“Ah, don’t worry guys,” Yang clicks her tongue. “Who’d think Torchwick would be careless enough to put a base on top of a cemetery and old Grimm hideout? Plus, this was fun.”

“Oh, you bet!” Nora rushes over her to high five her. “XL, I’m thinking we can work out  a killer move, like a finishing explosion or something. We can do the same move again, but you can use your gauntlets to throw yourself back down, and use fire  Dust so we can destroy anyone who dares cross us!”

Ruby, Yang and Blake laugh at Nora’s antics.

_ The word is not going to end in a bang, it will end with her and Yang doing something incredibly preposterous and hazardous.  _

“Perhaps next time. I’m sure you’re got all the members of Torchwick’s gang here, right?” Ren gives Nora a reassuring smile, but directs the question to the rest of us.

“Unfortunately, three of them got away,” Ruby shrugs. “One of them was Torchwick’s contact from Mistral.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Blake interjects. “We can track his dealer and maybe hit one of his most important business partners. If we break one of his connections, we can take his whole network down.”

“Are you serious about goin’ to Mistral?” Yang cocks a brow at her.

I frown, carefully watching Blake while she responds:

“Yes, it’s the best course of action now that we know where most of his shipments came from."

Her idea is not only ridiculous, it’s flawed. Not only is it dangerous to venture into another kingdom —one that is specifically at odds with Vale—, but also misleading. Tracking the contact’s location and network on another continent will take too much time.

“Actually, we should head to Vale,” I state.

“What?” Both Ruby and Nora turn to me.

I sigh, displeased by the idea that they can’t understand how obvious our next course of action should be. “These crates, and the other ones we found at the warehouse all have the same markings: Valen stamps used by the government for any shipment coming from the outside.”

“How can they be from Vale if all of these come from Mistral?” Nora cocks her head to the side.

Yang crosses her arms over her chest, and switches her weight from one left to the other. She presses her lips together, and something tells me we’re on the same page. Perhaps one can get the proper training on regards to strategy and enemy analysis outside the military. Who could’ve guess she would get it from a group of bandits.

“This is the perfect cover up. If any of Torchwick’s men were to be stopped by Valen police, the goods would already have the necessary customs stamps for them to go right under the radar,” I frown. “He’s not using any legal means to get these into the city, he most likely found a way in other than the main entrances, and he has found a way to reproduce the official stamps to pass any sort of check inside the kingdom.”

“So, all the things he has been stealing… He has sent them to Vale,” Ruby concludes. She frowns.

“Not just everything, we know from yesterday that the antiques and random goods he steals are taken to some towns to sell at his shops, but the Dust…” I add, and Ren nods, already one step ahead.

“There’s no way he’s sellin’ this much Dust in Vale, the prices would drop down in a pinch, and Valen officials would suspect of him makin’ huge deals with Atlas,” Yang shakes her head. Her eyes stare back at me, a stern face. She knows this is just as bad as I do. “Whatever he’s plannin’, it’s not just big, it’s really alarmin’.”

“If the White Fang is involved, of course it’s worrying,” I say.

“The White Fang is involved?” Nora asks, shocked at the new information. Ruby and Yang step to the side, allowing her to see the two unconscious members we’ve managed to capture. If I had been able to aid Ruby, we’d have the three of them under our control.

I huff, “Of course the faunus are involved, what did you expect?”

“Excuse you?” I turn to find Blake glaring at me. She had been silent ever since I discredited her obviously pointless plan to go into enemy territory with a weak lead, now she appears to be fully engaged on the topic.

“Excuse me what?” I frown. “If Torchwick is involved with some bigger plot, which involves a high amount of explosive resources, of course I’m going to expect a group of faunus to be aiding him.”

“Why are you assumin’ all faunus are part of a terrorist group?” Yang knits her brows together, she makes a step in Blake’s direction, clearly displeased at my statement.

I scoff, confused as to why suddenly two members of my own team would question my reasoning. “I don’t understand how this is a problem. All the members of the White Fang  _ are _ faunus.”

“Weiss,” Ruby calls my name, brows furrowed in confusion.

“ _ That _ is the problem!” Blake growls at me, and I stare wide eyed at her. I’ve never seen her this expressive or passionate about anything. Actually, I’ve never seen her being expressive at all, she’s always either mildly amused, silent, or flirting with Yang.

“Do you realize you’re defending the members of an organization that wants to wipe humanity off the face of the planet, don’t you?” I snap back.

“She’s not defendin’ the actions of the White Fang, she’s talkin’ about faunus!” Yang jumps back in.

“The faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!” I shout.

“There’s no such thing as pure evil!” Blake stomps one of her feet. Both Yang and I stare at her, surprised. “Why do you think most faunus join the White Fang? It’s because of people like  _ you _ ! You’re discriminatory. You, and many others forced the faunus to take such drastic measures, that the only way they found a voice was though the White Fang!”

“Are you saying they are the victims?” I scoff.

“What, are you implying  _ you _ are the victim?”

“I’m a victim! All humans are!” I snap, gesturing to Ruby before she gets in between us. I don’t care about how passionate Blake feels about a subspecies made of uneducated buffoons and criminals. “I was trained for years on how to act against an organization like the White Fang. Endless drills based on many, if not hundreds of attacks carried out by hundreds of faunus.”

I take a step towards Blake, “Every day, I had to read through the files, memorize names, locations, tactics, and the faces of countless of victims lost to a senseless acts of violence based on the sole fact that they were human. Men, women, children, all murdered by the same hand with complete disregard of who they were! That made for a very difficult childhood!”

“Weiss, stop—,” Ruby’s voice turns more commanding, but I won’t let that stop me. 

“No!” I take another step towards Blake, closing the distance between us. Her jaw hangs open, but her frown never leaves her face. “You want to know why I despise the White Fang so much? It’s because they are a bunch of thieves, spies and murderers!”

“Well, how nice of a Schnee to paint a picture,” Blake takes a step forward, her face inches away from mine, and I just… freeze.

Her bow is tugged backwards in the most bizarre way, but I can’t focus solely on it. My eyes are glued to hers, and the height difference is not what makes me feel so small, so miniscule.

_ She knows. _

_ She knows who I am _

I feel a knot on my throat.

I don’t know when she realized it or how. I don’t even know if she knew all along, but the way she looks at me, with so much disdain and repulsion reminds me of my own father, but in a very different way.

I can’t think.

I can’t breathe.

I only hear the gasps of Nora and Ren when everything clicks, and how Ruby is cut off before she can even speak.

“Oh, you shouldn’t be surprised that I know who you are! White hair, blue eyes, and the same arrogant face as one of the highest members of the Atlesian army?” Blake rebukes. “It seems that the rumors regarding your family Semblance were true after all. No random girl would be able to summon a Grimm.

“How could  _ you  _ know we feel? What we have to go through for who we are? We’re your salves, your entertainment, the bait you use to draw Grimm away from the kingdom’s gates while you separate our children from their parents to trade us off with some high class richman from Mistral!” She says through her teeth. “How can you expect us not to hate you?” 

I’m frozen in place, uncertain of what to say or to think. My mind rushes through everything and yet, I’m only able to  utter a question, a single word: “Us?”

Blake’s eyes go wide, and she steps back at the realization of what she just said.

_ She’s a faunus. _

Her bow moves forward, resting comfortably on her head as it always has.

Ears, that’s what she has been hiding under that ribbon all this time. I’ve been sleeping under the same roof with a faunus.

“I— I—” Blake’s voice quivers as she takes another step back.

“ _ You _ …” I breathe in.

“Weiss, stop,” Yang steps right in between us. My eyes find hers, and I know I’m not getting past her. I glance at Blake again, and I see her frozen up in her place. Her eyes wide, staring at Yang while they get filled with tears. Then, she runs. She jumps off the cave, and I’m unable to follow her figure since Yang’s body covers my sight. She stands tall, her shoulders broad.

Suddenly, I regain my ability to speak. My thoughts are put in order like the world carried on, “Are you going to let her go? Yang, she just—”

“Weiss, I said stop.”

I’m furious. My blood is boiling, and I can’t believe how she is keeping so calm in a situation like this, or how can Ruby barely even make a movement when the picture is clear. “She just defended a terrorist organization! She admitted it herself!”

“Weiss,” Ruby steps in, grabbing my arm. “She didn’t do that!”

“She’s a faunus, and you’re just going to let that slip?” I bark at the both of them, furious at Yang’s stubbornness more than anything.  _ How can she not see that she’s letting a potential threat go? _

“I knew she was a faunus!” Yang yells, and I jump back. Her eyes go red, and I feel a chill run down my spine; my heart on my throat. “That doesn’t change anything she has done to help us, and it shouldn’t change the way you think about her!”

It takes me a moment before I can muster up the courage to speak again again, “Are you serious?” I frown, regaining my ground. “If anything, that proves my suspicions of her! She’s a faunus, and the White Fang is involved with Torchwick. We can’t—”

“You’re a fucking hypocrite!” her eyes flare.

I breathe in, unable to finish my sentence. The words die at my throat, and I’m at her mercy. Her red eyes hypnotize me in the most life threatening way I’ve ever felt in my life. My blood runs cold at the realization that this is Yang, the same person with whom I’ve shared personal aspects of my life; the same person who has hit on me, mocked me, cheered me up and has given me advice that I’ve held dear. Yang, one of the two people who saved my life when I thought all hope was lost, when I thought I’d never find a home again, she and her sister gave me one.

She blinks, and the next time she looks at me, her eyes are back to their familiar lavender. She’s disappointed in me. I know that look.

She shakes her head, and lets go of the breath she has been holding for a while, “I thought that out of all of us, you’d be the one who’d understand her best.

“I was wrong.”

Before I know it, she turns around and runs in the same direction Blake left.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all happy with that vol 6 finally, and here I am dropping the angst like any good fan.


End file.
